


Noah Had It Easy

by EvanHarr98



Series: Grumbo Tag Series [4]
Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alpha Mumbo, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Angst, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Arranged Marriage (Of Sorts), Breeding stand, Character Death, Classism, Death, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Grian, Omega Verse, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Torture, Smut, Sterile Pandemic, Tags May Change, Torture, War, daily updates, mafia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:21:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 27
Words: 65,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23992231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvanHarr98/pseuds/EvanHarr98
Summary: When the world experiences a global pandemic that renders every human sterile and infertile, the major governments from all across the globe release an experimental trial that may cure the infertility plague. But, what happens when the results they get aren't what was expected? What happens to those poor people who took on the trial? What does the future hold for them?If you really want to know, give this fic a read ;D
Relationships: Falsesymmetry/ZombieCleo, Iskall85/StressMonster101, Mumbo Jumbo/Grian, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Series: Grumbo Tag Series [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1712479
Comments: 480
Kudos: 357





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, so I know what this looks like... Evan has posted another multi-chaptered book... Buuut, that doesn't mean that I am going to stop working on my other stories :D 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this book, but I must warn you to look at the tags and read through them carefully. I have gone through the plot and I've tried to list everything that could affect someone in a negative way. If any of the tags could possibly trigger you, then please be careful when reading this. I will be giving trigger warnings at the beginning of chapters to warn you all for when a sensitive subject is going to be appearing. :D
> 
> Finally, please be aware of all the support networks that are out there, please use them :D Stay safe and look after each other :D
> 
> One final note, I promise, this is the last one... In this story, I will be talking about some sensitive subjects, I in no way think that these are to be taken lightly and they deserve all of the seriousness and gravity when they are talked about. If you feel like I have done a specific subject an injustice or I've offended you in any way, please feel free to let me know in the comments with what needs to change, or alternatively, if you're too scared to do that, then please message me on Tumblr with your suggestion or correction (@evthedev) 
> 
> Please enjoy :D

For over 200 millennia humankind have roamed and dominated this planet that we call Earth. They have dug through the grounds to harvest its natural fuels, they have destroyed eco-systems with their pollution and mass culling of species. Nature has finally said that enough is enough. Our Mother Earth has recognised the threat and has taken action to rid herself of it. 

Yesterday we saw the last of all the primary schools, the last of all the elementary schools, close. The world said goodbye to its final wave of childhood as the last generation moves forward into their teen years. We have already closed down our nurseries and kindergartens, we have seen the bankruptcy of several major toy companies as there are fewer and fewer children to beg their parents to buy these products. 

But, this might not be our final goodbye to these establishments. We have been working on a cure. PostPopulate have been working with your government to bring to you this new trial, an experimental drug that could bring back the future that our species need. It could bring us a second chance. The chance we need to continue our survival, as a species.

The selection process is purely voluntary and no one will be forced to undertake this experiment, but if you do chose to sign up, we - as a species - thank you. Please, if you are able, offer your services to the future of mankind. Spare us the fate of extinction and sign up today. Registrations will be held at your local polling stations, and you will be asked to provide your name, date of birth and your gender. All of your questions will be answered at these stations, and if you are chosen to undertake the experiment, then we thank you. We thank you for your service to your country, to your families and to the species. 

PostPopulate has the answer, but that is not the only thing that is required to bring the future back to our species. We need you. 


	2. Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, I'm sorry if any of you were confused with the last chapter. It was a news article from this universe that I've created. :D I hope you enjoy this chapter :D

Mumbo stared at the paper in his hands, it crinkled and folded in his grip as his eyes scanned the words. "We need you." He read aloud to himself.

"What's that, sir?" Julia muttered as she filled his mug with freshly brewed coffee. Mumbo hummed in response as his attention was dragged away from the paper in his hands. Green eyes were drawn to the maid, he smiled kindly to her as he gestured to the article he was reading before he reached for his mug and took a sip.

"This article. Have you read the paper yet?" Mumbo asked the woman, she shook her head and flashed him a muted smile as she gathered his used breakfast utensils and plate. "Ah, well PostPopulation has released an announcement. Will you be going for it, Julia?"

"Is that the trial, everyone's been talking about?" She asked, her southern accent strong to his ears. Mumbo nodded. "Then, I shouldn't think so, sir. I much prefer my work here and I don't want to just leave." She answered. Mumbo wasn't sure if her words were meant to sate him or please him in some way, he hummed noncommittally before his eyes fell back to the paper. 

"Very well." He muttered. "Would you be able to ask one of the other girls to call Iskall, please?" He requested. "Tell him that I can send a car, should he want it." He added, eyes not leaving the paper as he spoke. 

"Of course, sir." Julia muttered as she stepped away, the dirty plate and cutlery clinked with each step that she took. Mumbo watched her leave, eyes fixed to her back. She wore a pair of comfortable blue jeans and a blue shirt. He had requested that all the people who worked for him wore their most comfortable clothes, while they worked for him. He could barely stand the sight of the traditional uniforms that his friends' hired help wore. 

Mumbo would have much preferred not to have the help at all, but his parents had insisted as had his friends, although Mumbo could hardly tolerate employing people to wait on him and perform basic daily tasks, that he would otherwise have no problem undertaking himself, he had formed friendships with each of his employees. His parents had hired Julia when he was younger, and she had moved in with him as he had grown and ultimately took over the engineering company, he had then proceeded to hire Jackie, Eliza and Maria, all of which had wormed their way into his heart, becoming more of a family than his biological parents ever had. 

Mumbo finished the last few sips from his mug and cleared the remains of what was left from his breakfast and carried it through to the kitchen, Jackie stood humming at the sink, her hands were deep in the warm soapy water, as she washed the more delicate glassware that couldn't be thrown in the dishwasher. Her hips swayed to the tune that she sang and Mumbo stood watching her for a moment, a smirk painting his lips. Jackie was a few years younger than Julia and her hair was a stark contrast to the older woman's, it was long and a light chocolate brown, whereas Julia's had been cut short and had turned a soft salt and pepper through the years. The woman donned a flared knee-length skirt and a pink shirt that matched the rest of her outfit perfectly. "Are you enjoying yourself there?" Mumbo asked, amusement twinkling in his eyes. She turned and grinned at him, the lines in her face showed the years of her life, she had a fair few on Mumbo, where the man was only 23, Jackie was 40. She continued her humming as she slowly waltzed her way across the kitchen and to Mumbo's side, where she relieved him of his handful of plates.

"I am actually." She finally replied, as she stepped towards the dishwasher and loaded it full with the dirty tableware. "Honestly, sir, you shouldn't be bringing the stuff in, that's our job, what's the point of us being here if you're going to do everything for us?" She playfully admonished. 

A soft blush flared at Mumbo's cheeks as his actions were called out, he had never enjoyed the idea of not helping the people in his employment, especially while he was more than capable of handling the chores himself, however, Jackie was right. He needn't be doing their jobs for them, although it was a habit he had no intention of stopping. "Oh, don't kid yourself, we both know you're all here because you can't be without me and my dashing personality." He teased, fluttering his lashes to her. The older woman chuckled and rolled her eyes at him with a slight shake of her head. 

"Sir, you're incorrigible."

"And you love it."

"I do." Jackie responded as she turned back to the sink.

Mumbo sighed happily when her humming once again filled the kitchen. He stepped away and slowly padded towards his office. His grandfather had started the Jumbo family business, Redstone, it was an engineering company, and while Mumbo very much enjoyed the job role that he occupied, he preferred to have his hands deep in the guts of a mechanical contraption, that was where his skills came to life. From a child, Mumbo had an eye for mechanics and engineering, he'd always enjoyed the help that automation had brought to the world and his love for it was blatantly obvious in his work. 

His office was large and decorated much like the rest of the house, although it was much darker. The only light source came from a small lamp that stood at the far corner of the wide mahogany desk. Paper and registers littered the surface of the desk, while his pens were neatly held in the small cup near the lamp. Filing cabinets lined the walls, containing the years upon years of contracts and work that his father and grandfather had collected. Mumbo ambled through the office and took his seat in the comfortable leather chair, leaning his elbows on the top of the table, his eyes scanning the organised mess before him. 

A light rap of knuckles against the open office door drew Mumbo's attention from his work, he smiled and glanced up to the welcome intrusion. Stood in the doorway was Maria, she donned a pair of black leggings and a t-shirt that depicted some band that Mumbo had never heard of, she shared Mumbo's youthful age and was one of the man's most recently hired employees, her anxiety was still fresh as she stood before him, although Mumbo had tried his best to help her feel comfortable, he couldn't ignore the fact that the girl was still so timid. 

"Oh... Um... Iskall will be here shortly... umm... Sir." She muttered, a blush high on her cheeks, she kept her eyes trained to the floor. Mumbo nodded at the new information and grinned.

"Did he take the offered car?" He asked. The girl glanced up to him, her short sandy hair had fallen in her face, she brushed it behind her ear.

"No, sir." She replied and Mumbo let out a breathy chuckle.

"Thank you, Maria, could you let me know when he arrives?" He asked her, she nodded quietly before padding away and leaving the air of his doorway empty. Mumbo watched the space that she had occupied, silently thinking of how he could help her feel more comfortable before he was once again distracted by the papers on his desk.

* * *

"Sir, Iskall is here." Maria muttered quietly from the door. Mumbo glanced up to her and grinned, moving to stand. He paused, however, when the girl stuttered out an apology. His brow furrowed. "I... I forgot to knock, I'm sorry." She apologised again. Mumbo's eyes softened as he chuckled. 

"Don't worry." He soothed as he brushed passed her and stepped down the stairs. Stood in the foyer of the mansion was Iskall, he donned his usual green suit and blue tie, his messy brunette hair was swept to the side atop his head, he glanced to Mumbo when he heard his footfalls and grinned, his one eye brightened at the sight of his friend, while the other was covered with the chrome patch that Mumbo had designed. 

"I honestly don't know why you offer the car each time. I can make my way here myself, you know?" He grinned, embracing Mumbo when he descended the last step. Mumbo giggled and clapped his friend on the back.

"I just don't want you to go a day without the reminder of my beautiful car." He sniped playfully as the two friends made their way to the sitting room, Julia having already laid out two glasses of pop and a plateful of cookies on the coffee table. Iskall fell into the comfortable leather sofa, while Mumbo perched in his high-backed armchair. 

"You're probably the only snob I know who has a VW camper van! It's a hippie van, bro." He teased. Mumbo's eyes creased with laughter.

"It's bloody gorgeous too!" He added, with a giggle. 

The room was filled with the light laughter of the two men, both having met in college, Mumbo and Iskall had been inseparable. Iskall had taken over his family's company and sold his most valued product, Iskallium, Mumbo was his best and most reliant client, always needing enough of the sticky slime in the contraptions that his company was hired to construct. Once the two sobered, Iskall leant forward and took a sip of his drink, eyes connecting with Mumbo. "So, why did you send for me?" He asked. Mumbo's eyes lit up with excitement as he too drank his own drink before answering.

"I have decided to register my name for the PostPopulation program." 

Iskall choked on his drink, eyes watering as he coughed. Mumbo surged forward and patted the man's back attempting to help him clear his throat. "What?" The Swedish man asked, his voice hoarse from the coughing. "Why?" Once he was certain that his friend had recovered, Mumbo returned back to his seat and shrugged in response.

"I like the idea of it and I think it could be good fun to sign up." 

"But, you'll be forced to pair up with a stranger you've never met and have sex with them... It'll probably be female." Iskall muttered, his confusion blatant in the tone of his voice. Mumbo hummed at that, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

"Yeah, but you've already got Stress, I haven't got anyone. You're lucky mate, you're not lonely like me." He replied.

"But you're gay!" Iskall interrupted, throwing his hands in the air for emphasis.

"Yeah?"

"And besides, you're not alone, you have Jackie, Julia, Eliza and that new one..." He trailed off as he struggled to remember the name of Mumbo's most recent employee.

"Maria." Mumbo answered for the man. 

"That's it!" Iskall exclaimed pointing a finger, as if selecting the name from the air. 

"They're all fantastic ladies, but I want a partner to share all this with. I'm tired of it just being me, you know?" Mumbo muttered, his eyes downcast, his features darkened slightly at his own words. Iskall sighed at his friend, reaching for a cookie.

"I know, mate, but is it worth it? You don't know what you're signing up for, and like I said you're gay, you like men. Are you going to be happy if you have to get down and jiggy with a girl?" Iskall asked with a soft smile on his face, his eyes were hopeful as he attempted to drag Mumbo from the dark mood that was threatening to consume him.

The moustached man chuckled and shook his head at his friend's silly choice of words, his cheeks turned pink from the insinuation and he shrugged. "I suppose anything is better than loneliness. Besides, if I don't like it, I can just back out, right?"

Iskall hummed hesitantly. "I suppose." He replied, eyeing Mumbo warily. "Are you absolutely sure that this is what you want to do?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Okay then, bro. I'll support you any way I can."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is where our story begins :D I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter :D please let me know your thoughts in the comments and Kudos are always welcome :D
> 
> Thank you all for your support, as well, I've noticed that a few of you have already commented on the prologue, it's amazing to be a part of such an amazing and supportive community :D


	3. What Choice Do I Have?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all :D This is Grian's chapter, I hope you all have enjoyed the story so far. A couple of you have asked if this idea is original, and it is! 100% mine, I have been inspired by a scene that I saw in an episode of the Netflix Series 'Zoo' but that only gave me the idea of a sterile pandemic, the rest of the story and all of its ideas are my own :D
> 
> Thank you all so much for your support, I'm so happy you're all enjoying this story :D It means so much to me :D

"Hello, Mrs Gerald!" Grian grinned as he passed the older lady's house, the woman beamed to him, waving from her place near her flower beds. Mrs Gerald had been Grian's neighbour for as long as he could remember, he had been living in the same house with his family since his birth and the street in which they lived had not changed. The same run-down school churned through its yearly students, except now, as each year progressed, another part of the school shut down, being abandoned as they were no longer needed. Grian sighed, his blue eyes roved over the building that was the catalyst for his teenage memories. 

"Oh, Grian." His neighbour sighed as she waddled towards her gate, she leant against the wrought iron and smiled sadly. Grian's shoulders flinched at her words, not expecting to hear someone so close to him, he glanced over to the woman. "I cannot believe that we are coming to the end of..." She sighed, not able to fully express her sorrow as the last of the school's students progressed, not having another generation to take their place. Grian's eyes softened at her words and he reached out a hand, covering her wrinkled skin with his own softer, younger hand. 

"I know." He hummed, eyes downcast, reflecting the same sadness that seemed to be present in every face that he had come across.

"But it might not be for long, have you heard the news?" She asked, her eyes meeting his, a small smile hinting at the corners of her dry and chapped lips. The blond's brow furrowed and he tilted his head to the side with sceptical curiosity, encouraging the woman to elaborate. "PostPopulation? They've released the details for the trials, apparently, it's going to bring back our future. Imagine that." She huffed wistfully, "Babies again." Her voice was hopeful, filled with dreams of their possible future. Grian's eyes only darkened at her words, he couldn't share her optimism, he knew what this meant, he hadn't seen it before, but from what he'd heard from his grandfather, what was to come was inevitable. A part of him was shocked that Mrs Gerald wasn't worried, that she wasn't scared of the new implications, he stole his hand away, leaving hers cold and alone. 

"Really? PostPopulation? You know what that means, right?" He asked, his voice thick with frustration, a silent feeling that he could barely tame. His chest was filled with it, isolated anxiety and helpless dread. Mrs Gerald's eyes met his own, her lips pursed.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Granddad said that it would fall to us, that they're not going to have enough voluntary subjects and that they will turn to us, the ones living in the slums, the ones no one cares about." He almost growled. He hated his circumstances, he wished he could change them. While the rich and middle class of their society were able to live with relative freedom, wandering the streets without a care in the world, his people were never blessed with such luxury. Every morsel of food was worth fighting for, the ribs that one could spot on a man's torso showed his every struggle, each bone a whisper to what meal he had missed, while trying to provide for his family. The only blessing that had come from the sterile pandemic was that there were fewer hungry mouths to feed, less money needed to ensure that a household stayed afloat. Mrs Gerald's eyes narrowed and for a moment, Grian was afraid that she would scold him or chastise him, but instead, her scowl morphed to that of a smile. 

"Don't listen to that old fool." She chuckled. "He'd rant on about the war, if you let him, and he was barely two when it ended." She hummed and patted Grian's shoulder. "PostPopulation is there for everyone, I'm sure of it." She mused before stepping away. "Shouldn't you be heading home?" She asked, eyes focusing on the orange hues that the retreating sun cast across the clouds, setting them alight with the beckoning of dusk. Grian glanced to the sky and hummed in response. He knew that Mrs Gerald meant no harm with her words, if anyone had the right to joke about his grandfather, it was her, she had known him for the majority of his life. The two had been friends from childhood, she had been at his wedding when he married his grandmother. But as much as he knew that the words she spoke were merely jokes, it still stung. Grian sighed, his shoulders drooping with defeat, he couldn't bring himself to be upset at the woman, she had been by his and his family's side his entire life. She had loaned money to them when his father was laid off from work, she had provided many a hearty meal to him and his sister, when his parents had to work through the entire evening and night. She had been as much of a mother to him as his own mother had been. Grian flashed Mrs Gerald one last smile before he nodded and turned to stalk towards his home. 

The street on which they lived had always appeared scruffy, sweet wrappers and dried gum littered the pavement, while the roads remained dirty and dusty, the trees were just as devoid of leaves as their wallets were of coins. Each house seemed to be barely inhabitable, the moss that lined each brick, the lycan that slithered up the side of each wall, the windows that had been practically dyed with the dirt from the streets. It was dingy and grubby, but it was home and Grian loved it, with every fibre of his being. This was their little corner of the world. He stood at the edge of his garden, an old swingset still stood on the grass, its metal frame had long since rusted, the rope that was tied to the seat of it seemed just as frazzled and worn as the people who lived in his neighbourhood, all tired, all at their wit's end. All ready for some morsel of hope.

Grian trudged down the garden path, his eyes fixed on the grimy old door, it hadn't been painted for as long as he'd lived there, it hadn't received the amount of care that wood required and you could see it, in the damp oak, the rotting grain, a part of him sympathised with the worn material, but another part hated it. He hated how it was only a metaphor for their lives, barely held together with duct tape and string. He wished that his job paid better, but what could Grian hope for, really? He worked as a bartender, after all, serving the poison that majority of the residents of his neighbourhood flushed through their system, they had given up on hope. It hurt Grian's heart to see, it was sad to watch the people who he had known through his childhood now wasting away on a bar stool, he was scared that one day it may be him too, that maybe that was his future. A drunken depressed light at the end of this tunnel of struggle, drinking the pain away, wishing for the day in which he was nothing but a rotting corpse in the ground. Grian snickered humourlessly at that thought, he may not even make it into the ground. It cost too much money to have a funeral, he may be just thrown into a mass grave, sandwiched between other lost souls who had struggled through their lives. The thought darkened his mind more, forcing him to spiral, he felt the world leave him. He was only brought back as the warmth of his palm touched the cool brass handle and turned it, opening the door to his home.

"GRIAN!" His sister called out, her blond messy hair billowed behind her as she sprinted towards him. Her blue eyes were a reflection of his own as she barrelled into him. He let out a grunt as her body slammed into his own, he wrapped his arms around her smaller frame and cuddled her.

"Mary-Anne. What's wrong?" He asked, eyes fixed on the lines of her forehead and the tension in her shoulders. His sister had been deemed one of the youngest on earth, being ten years old, he assumed that the statistics were correct. Mary-Anne pulled away, glancing up to him.

"There's a man here to speak to you." She muttered and pointed in the direction of the kitchen. Grian's eyes followed to where she gestured and a tight feeling of anxiety pooled in his belly. It was never good when someone came to speak to you, especially in this neighbourhood. Every government official or high-class businessman would do their best to avoid the slums, but yet when they did come calling, it never was for a good reason. Grian's lips tightened in a grimace, he glanced down to his sister and forced a warm, soothing smile. 

"Thank you, why don't you go upstairs and play with your toys, I'll be up there soon." He told her, the young girl fixed him in place with her worried eyes. She was an intelligent child, nothing much got passed her and Grian couldn't help the smirk that played on his lips as he watched her with some sense of pride. "I know you're scared or worried for me, but I can take care of myself." He reassured her, he knew that she didn't believe him, that she wanted to stay, but he couldn't let her. Grian was afraid of what this mystery man had come to speak to him about. Mary-Anne reached out a hand to cup her bother's cheek.

"Promise you'll come and play after?" She asked. Grian's heart hurt at her soft voice, at her young sense of life. He pushed those distant feelings down, deep in his belly and nodded, forcing a brave smile. 

"Of course." He told her. Mary-Anne watched him for a moment more before nodding, allowing herself to believe him, she turned and sprinted up the stairs, leaving Grian with the man in the kitchen. The blond man slowly edged his way through the messy house, glancing at the old family photos, pushing away stray toys with his foot, clearing his own path, until he reached the kitchen.

Dinner plates were piled high in the sink, yesterday's supper still smeared across their surface, the dinner table had been cleared, where there were usually mountains of bills or letters strewn across its surface, it was now bare, all apart from a black leather briefcase and a pot of tea. Sat at the table were his parents, their old tatty clothes hung off their malnourished bodies, neither of them glanced to him, both had their eyes trained on their hands, folded together atop the wooden surface. Opposite them was a man, his suit was tailored to fit his frame and his skin was bright and full of life. Grian hated him. The man's silver eyes jumped from where he had been focused on the teapot and narrowed on him. Grian felt suddenly self-conscious, folding his arms around his middle, hugging his red oversized sweater closer to his body.

"Mr Charleston." The man muttered, a hungry flash flared in his eyes, Grian watched him warily. "Please sit, we have been waiting to speak with you." 

Grian glanced to his parents, anxiety still thick in his chest, the two held their gazes down, refusing to make eye contact. Grian's lips tightened, this was definitely not good. He glanced to the man, anger flaring through his veins, he pushed his shoulders back and forced himself to stand straight, not allowing this shark, who sat at their dinner table, to be privy to his fears. He would not show weakness. He pulled out a wooden chair and sat beside his parents, opposite the man.

"My name is Harold Rogers. I am very happy to meet you, finally. Your parents have been telling me all about you." Grian's eyes flicked to that of his parents, but they still refused to look at him, his brow twitched with suspicion before he focused his gaze back to the man, he frowned. 

"I wish I could say the same." He muttered but Harold remained unphased by the blond's salty tones, he merely flashed Grian a toothy smile.

"I understand, this may be a little bit of a shock, what with a strange man sat in your house." Grian watched him warily, as he spoke. "But I assure you, I've not come with bad news." 

"Okay, can we just skip to where you tell me why you're here." Grian snapped, his patience wearing thin. The man's mouth slammed shut, his teeth clicking together. Harold's eyes narrowed on the blond before he gave a curt nod. 

"Very well." He sighed and pulled a slip of paper from within the briefcase. "I'm here from PostPopulation. I have come to offer you a proposal. As you are most probably aware, my colleagues and I have been working tirelessly to bring a future back to our species."

"I've seen the ads. Please spare me the details. What do you want from me, Mr Rogers?" Grian asked, his eyes flashed dangerously.

"Well, as happy as we are to receive so many people donating themselves for this cause, we don't have enough volunteers. Now, I am not here to force you into anything. If you chose to, you can say no and I will leave you in peace. However, I take my deal with me." He muttered, eyes searching Grian's. The blond watched him silently, every fibre of his being was screaming for him to tell the man to leave, but something unsettling urged him to remain quiet, to allow Harold to explain this 'deal'. "Members of PostPopulate, like myself, have been visiting families that are in need of support and have been offering people payment if they were to volunteer themselves to the program. I would like to offer you a monthly payment of £10,000 for as long as you are a member of the PostPopulation programme." 

Grian's eyes widened to that of saucers, with his wage, paired with that of his parent's they earned an average of £35,000 a year, the number that the man offered was almost a third of that. He knew what this meant, with this money his family wouldn't struggle for food, wouldn't fall into any future hardships, it was the ticket that he needed, and now, that light at the end of the tunnel was no longer a peaceful death, but a successful life. "What's the catch?" Grian asked, it was too good to be true, and in his experience if something seemed that way then it most probably was in fact not true.

"No catch, all we ask is that you come with me to our facility now and we will begin the experiment on your arrival, you will be paired up with someone who matches your genetic markers and will be your most fertile pairing and then you will live with them."

"Live with them? What about my family?" 

"We can arrange accommodation for them, as well as the payment we've discussed. However, we ask that you do not have contact with your family, it may contaminate the results of the experiment."

It made sense now, he knew his parents wanted him to take this deal, they would not look at him for fear that he would see their hope, see their begging eyes and be swayed into making this decision. They wanted him to choose it, they didn't want to force this upon him. Grian knew it was their best option for survival. He knew that he didn't really have a choice.

"Where do I sign up?" He asked quietly, Harold's eyes brightened with an emotion that Grian couldn't place and he pushed the contract to the blond, along with a fancy pen that most probably was worth more than all of Grian's possessions.

"You're leaving?!" Mary-Anne's voice cut through the deal, each person who sat at the table whipped around in their chairs to see the child, her eyes were watery with threatening tears, her chin wobbled, she stared at Grian. The blond's heart shattered at the sight of his sister, so heartbroken and upset. He leapt from his seat and stepped towards her, pulling her smaller body into his own as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, allowing her to sob into his shoulder.

"It's okay, this man is going to look after me. I'm going to get us out of here." He whispered to her, his hand stroked through her messy hair. The girl sniffled and pulled away to stare brokenly into his eyes. 

"But what about your promise, you said we could play." She whimpered.

"I am still promising that. We can play when PostPopulate have finished their tests. I won't be gone forever, just a little while." He muttered, the girl watched him quietly before she nodded. 

"I love you."

"I love you too." Grian hummed and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Harold let out a cough, interrupting the siblings. Grian glared to him over his shoulder. "Mr Charleston, the contract please." He urged, pointing to the paper that Grian had abandoned. He stood and took his sister's hand, leading her to the table. He took his seat once more and stared at that dotted line. Grian clenched his jaw as he snatched the pen from the table and scribbled his name down. Harold grinned brightly.

"Very good, now, please come with me." He hummed, "A car will be by shortly to take your family to their new home." Grian heard Harold's words but he ignored them, his eyes focused on his parents.

"I'm doing this for Mary-Anne. Not for you two." He seethed, he knew that they had wanted him to take the deal, he knew that they had cared less for his own safety and more for the money at hand. "Look after her." He told them warningly before he stood with Harold and slowly marched to the door, the sounds of his sister's wails the symphony to his exit. Grian gave one last glance to the house he had called home for so long, before he was ushered out. This was it, the start to the next chapter of his life, he only hoped that Harold kept to his side of the deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I will be updating frequently. I really appreciate everyone's comments and all the kudos, it gives the umph that I need to write, it really supports me :D So thank you all :D


	4. Only One Way Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, so I hope you like this new chapter. I really appreciate all of your support and would like to say a massive thank you to those who have commented and given kudos to this story. You all make writing so much more enjoyable :D

"Sir?" A voice emanated from the doorway of his office, Mumbo was hunched over his paperwork and had been drawing a technical sketch of a custom contraption for his most recent customer. The moustached man set his pen down on the paper-covered desk and glanced up, smiling welcomingly to Maria, who stood at the door. Her usual anxious expression creased her face, as she fiddled with her fingers, her eyes were cast downwards, avoiding Mumbo's. His brow twitched into a hint of a frown before he allowed himself to relax.

"Hello, what's the matter?" He asked the girl. Maria glanced to him then and flashed a nervous smile before she spoke.

"A message came through to you from PostPopulation, they have requested for you to go to their main testing facility." Mumbo grinned at that and nodded. 

"Fantastic, can you have Julia prep the Jaguar?" He asked as he pushed away from the desk.

"They're sending a car, sir." 

Mumbo paused in his movements, halfway between standing and sitting, his eyes flicked back up to Maria's and he nodded. "Ah, okay, that's not a problem. Will you and the others be okay until I get back?" He asked as he stepped to the mirror and brushed his hair into place, he combed the strands with his fingers before he ran his hands over the front of his suit, smoothing the creases from the material.

"We should be, Julia asked if I could suggest that you take your phone? Umm, so we can contact you, should we need to." Maria's voice was so delicate and quiet that Mumbo often had to strain his ears to hear her. He didn't mind, he knew that her confidence would come with time. He flashed a warm smile to her, trying to soothe her anxiety before he replied.

"Of course, I will have it with me, but if, for whatever reason, you can't get in contact with me then Iskall will be your next point of call." He muttered as he turned to leave. "When will they be here?" Maria nodded with each of his words, committing what he was saying ti memory so she could relay it back to Julia upon Mumbo's departure, she was concentrating so thoroughly on the details of what he said that she missed his next question, her expression twisted to blank confusion. 

"Who, sir?"

"PostPopulate." As Mumbo began to elaborate, the doorbell rang. His eyes flicked passed her and to the staircase. "Nevermind, I have my answer." He rested a hand on her shoulder and thanked her before he slipped passed the young woman, stepped across the hall and then padded down the stairs. As he descended, he slipped the button of his blazer through its hole, fastening it to his middle. Stood in the foyer was a man, his bald head shone with the light from above, his eyes were covered with a pair of black-out sunglasses and a wire curled from his ear to under his shirt collar. When the man heard Mumbo's steps, he turned to greet him. "Hello Mr Jumbo, I am Alexander, I will be your escort today." He muttered and dipped his head as a form of respect. Mumbo grimaced at the action before nodding. 

"Pleasure to meet you, Alexander. I wasn't expecting an escort." He replied. The man flashed him a corporate smile, one that Mumbo was all too familiar with.

"I understand, sir. But PostPopulation value the safety of their donors and, as such, want to offer the most advanced security teams." He explained. Mumbo smirked at that and shrugged.

"Very well, shall we?" He offered, gesturing to the door. Alexander nodded and opened it for him, allowing Mumbo to exit first. Offering a quick mutter of thanks to the man, Mumbo stepped from the mansion and inhaled deeply, the fresh air was a delight to his lungs, he hadn't left his house in a few days and hadn't realised how much he'd missed the cool crisp breeze of the British countryside. 

Parked on the gravel of the driveway was a black Bentley Arnage, the body of the car was clean and glossy, Mumbo could make out his reflection as if he were staring at himself in a mirror. He smirked, growing up as the son of a high-class businessman, Mumbo had been driven in his fair share of fancy cars, none of them were as pretty as this one, however. Mumbo had a love for cars, he knew the exact make and model of this one, as soon as he saw it. It wasn't his first choice of Bentley, but he appreciated the engineering of the car all the same.

Mumbo reached for the door handle, but Alexander beat him to it, he cracked the door open and held it for him. Mumbo glanced to the man, his chest tightened with discomfort at the overly polite treatment. He detested people's reaction to him, when they discovered who he was or what he was worth, he much preferred it when they saw him as a person rather than a pound sign. He sighed and slipped into the soft leather seats, they creaked and groaned under his weight as he pulled the seatbelt over his chest. Alexander shut the door before he too clambered into the car, taking the driver's seat. He twisted the keys in the ignition and Mumbo's eyes slipped shut in pleasure at the sound of the engine rumbling to life. It was deep and harmonic, almost as if the vehicle was growling. The two set off and the car began to roll forward, stones crunched under the kevlar-reinforced tyres. 

* * *

The journey wasn't long, Mumbo stared from the shaded window beside him. He watched as the landscape changed about them, transforming from the countryside, to the city, to industrial and then back to the countryside. They took a turning off to the left before they slowed to a stop at an identification booth. Alexander rolled down the window and flashed the security officer his card. The guard hummed in response and glanced at the windows, he couldn't see Mumbo, but he knew that someone important was sat in the back. He gave a strange waving gesture and the metal gates began to open. The guard glared at the car as it drove past him and into the grounds of the facility. 

The two drove across the flat tarmacked area before descending underground, the warm light of day was snatched from them as they rode through to the belly of the compound, Alexander slowed the car to a stop outside a door. Two men stood side by side in front of the door, one of the men held some sort of rifle across his front and wore a protective vest, stood beside him was the second man, who donned a black suit, his hair was grey, but yet he was young, his eyes shone in the fluorescent light of the underground facility and highlighted the blue of his irises. Alexander stepped from the car and pulled the door open for Mumbo, allowing him to exit. He stood from the car and brushed his hands down the front of his suit, flashing the two men a smile. 

"Mr Jumbo." The suit-cladded man greeted him with an outstretched hand. "Our warmest welcome."

"Thank you," Mumbo muttered in reply and took his proffered hand, shaking it.

"I am Wels, the CEO of PostPopulate. I'd like to talk through some of the procedure with you and then I will pass you over to the capable hands of our medical team." Mumbo smirked, he snickered softly and shook his head. Wels' eyes narrowed on the man, watching him with confusion. "Did I say something funny, Mr Jumbo?" He asked as a slight defensive edge entered his voice. Mumbo's brows rose on his forehead before he held his hands up placatingly.

"Not at all, Wels, I just assume that not all of your donors get such a high standard of treatment." He explained, the same amusement flashed through his eyes. Although he hated that his status influenced the actions of the people around him, he couldn't help but be entertained by it, he found it so strange that if it weren't for his fortunate circumstances, he would never have received such a forced facade from those around him. 

"Ah, well, not all of our donors are you, sir." 

Mumbo's lips tightened at that, he nodded curtly before allowing Wels to lead the way into the facility. "Will ' _Rambo_ ' be with us the entire time?" Mumbo asked, tilting his head to gesture to the guard. Wels glanced over his shoulder as they walked and smirked humourlessly. 

"No, our security team will only escort us so far, they're not allowed on the medical site. Do you mind if we ask for you to place your belongings in here?" Wels asked as he presented a plastic tray to Mumbo. The three of them had walked through a long white corridor, framed certificates and photographs lined the walls, before the hall opened up to a larger room, a machine stood in the centre of it and Mumbo recognised it instantly. 

"Ah. The AP Model Security Scanner." He hummed. Wels preened and nodded.

"You're familiar with this technology then? The scanner?" Mumbo scoffed as he chuckled, emptying his pockets into the tray.

"I should, Wels, I designed it." He muttered before stepping through the scanner. It gave a long bleep before the light flashed from red to green, Mumbo was deemed safe and unarmed. Although he knew what the sounds and lights meant, he allowed Wels to explain the process anyway. The man seemed to relish in hauling knowledge over those around him, and while Mumbo felt increasingly irritated by that fact, he knew that the man was doing no harm and so forced himself to relax. Once he'd collected his items, his phone and wallet, Mumbo followed Wels from the security room, and to a small office, while the guard remained beside the scanner. 

This room was small, it's furniture matched that of Mumbo's own, from the mahogany desk to the leather suites. He glanced about the room before he settled in an armchair and watched as Wels took his place on the other side of the desk. "So, Mr Jumbo. You have donated yourself for this experiment. We can do nothing but salute you and thank you for your sacrifice." Wels muttered as he pulled a wad of paperwork from the drawer at the side of his desk. "I would like to give you a quick whistle-stop tour through the process that you are about to undergo, if that's alright?" Mumbo nodded silently and smiled, encouraging Wels to continue. The grey-haired man returned Mumbo's kind expression before he flicked through the booklet, eyes scanning its contents. "So you will be sedated with a general anaesthetic, your records say that you have no allergies, is that correct?"

"It is."

"Okay, good. While you are under sedation, our medical team will perform minor surgery to your genitals, and the glands in your neck. It isn't too intrusive, but the outcome can appear in one of two ways. You will either emerge as what we call an A-Type, or Alpha Typecast, or an O-Type, or Omega Typecast. The outcome of your surgery will dictate what information you will then receive. Do you have any questions?"

The information swirled through Mumbo's mind, he knew that he was offering his body for medical advancements, he knew the risk he was taking, but that didn't stop the anxiety that flared in his chest. "I don't think so." He muttered. Wels smiled and nodded to him, satisfied with his answer. 

"Very good. Would you like anything before we take you through to the medical department?" Wels asked, his eyes were shark-like, so devoid of emotion, it was a corporate mask that Mumbo despised, he hated that other businessmen hid behind it, detested the opaqueness and, as such, had tried to rid himself of the same habit. The moustached man nodded, standing with Wels as they left the room. 

The two walked through a corridor that was very similar to the first, except rather than being met with a security scanner, they stopped at a set of double doors. Wels produced a keycard and slipped it through the identification mechanism that was fixed to the wall, a soft buzz sounded before Mumbo heard a click, as the doors unlocked themselves. Wels held one open for Mumbo. The medical department was rather reminiscent of a ward at a hospital, the clean white walls spanned from floor to ceiling and a line of beds stood next to one another, with barely any room between them.

Donors of all races, genders and shapes occupied each bed. Mumbo's eyes flicked from face to face before they caught on one particular person. A small man sat on the edge of his bed, his golden blond hair was mussed atop his head and he donned the same plain white scrubs that the other patients wore, his skin was slightly tanned, but it was his eyes that stood out to Mumbo. Cyan, almost glowing with their brightness. He was beautiful.

"I wouldn't worry, sir. You won't be staying here, was have set up a private room for you." Wels interrupted Mumbo, pulling him from his thoughts and snapping his gaze from the attractive blond. Mumbo hummed a noncommital reply before he glanced back to the smaller man. The blond was watching him now, those eyes boring into him with something hard and determined. "Please, through here." Mumbo stopped at a second set of doors, he pulled his eyes from the other and glanced to where Wels held the door open for him. He walked through and was directed to a small side room, sectioned off from the other donors.

The room was small, but not so much as to feel suffocating. A bed stood proud in the centre of the room, the sheets that laid atop it were folded immaculately, Mumbo's hand stroked over them, they were rough and course against his palm, a stark contrast to the bedsheets that Mumbo had at home. His eyes flicked across the rest of the room. Above the bed and attached to the ceiling by a hinged bracket was a television. Beside the bed was a tall cabinet and fixed to its side was a locked safe. The walls of the room were the same white that was painted across the rest of the facility, it made Mumbo's eyes ache and he distantly wished that there was a window in the room, so he could treat himself to a splash of colour. A door stood adjacent to the room's entrance, it was slightly ajar and Mumbo could see a fully furnished bathroom.

"A member of our medical team will be by shortly to complete a pre-surgery checklist. Meanwhile, could you please change into these clothes. There is an ensuite, so you may change in privacy." Wels gestured to the pile of white scrubs that were folded at the foot of the bed.

"Where will my clothes and items be put?" Mumbo asked, glancing over his shoulder to the other man.

"In a safe beside your bed. Is there anything you need, sir?"

"No, I think you've covered everything." Mumbo nodded, flashing Wels an impatient smile, he wanted to be left alone, wanted to be free of the other man. Wels bowed his head before slipping through the door.

"I shall see you on the other side then." The man grinned before closing the door behind him, it was the first real smile that Mumbo had seen, it was rather unsettling. He grimaced at the spot, where Wels had occupied, unable to shake the disturbing feeling that coiled through his belly. Mumbo turned his eyes back to the room and sighed, he wished he was in the ward with the others, he craved a simple conversation with someone who didn't treat him like some sort of royalty. Mumbo clenched his eyes shut and focused on his breathing, listening to the soft puffs as he inhaled and then exhaled, his chest loosened, his anxiety lifted. When he flicked his eyes open, he glanced to the pile of clothes before he scooped them into his arms and stepped through into the ensuite, closing the door behind him.

Once he was dressed in the scrubs, he placed his neatly folded clothes atop the locker along with his phone and wallet. Mumbo sighed and perched on the edge of the mattress, lost in his thoughts. Who was that smaller blond man, who stuck out to him, his beauty so unforgettable? Why were all those people clumped together in such a tight space, while he was given his own room? Was Iskall right all along? Was this a mistake? Mumbo snorted derisively at his own thoughts, something told him that he was in far too deep now to back out. There was only one way to leave this facility, and that was to undergo the surgery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter :D I suppose we now have to wait and see what happens next :D
> 
> If you enjoyed this one, please leave a comment for me and if you haven't already please leave kudos, I thrive off them, they are the fuel to my writing :D


	5. Mr Mumbo Jumbo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, this a bit of a shorter chapter, but I hope you enjoy it all the same :D I may upload against later today, but I will definitely be uploading tomorrow if I don't get chance later.
> 
> Thank you all so much for all of your comments and kudos, your support is amazing and I'm glad you're all enjoying this story so much :D

It was too loud, far too loud. 

"Patients in the bays are recovering fine."

"Side rooms?"

"Mr Jumbo."

"Of course."

* * *

Snippets of conversation flashed through the room, echoing around his head. It was too much, far too loud. Mumbo tried to beg them to be quiet, to not shout. But as he opened his mouth to speak, the voices stopped. With the silence came the smell, disinfectant stung his nose, and he moaned as a headache bloomed behind his eyes. Mumbo clenched his jaw as the smells hit him, wave after wave. Food, bleach, medical-grade latex, people.

Mumbo had never smelt such an array of scents in his life, the rainbow of smells wafted through his nostrils and beat themselves against his brain, each hit stung with a new aching wave of pain. His body thrummed from the recent surgery. His last memories spasmed through his mind, a slither of light.

"Have you got any inherited conditions? Such as MS or heart disease?" The nurse asked as she read from the paper in her hand. Mumbo watched her nervously, his heart clenched with anxiety and fear of the unknown. He shook his head in reply and watched as she scribbled something down onto the paper. "Then we're all done. Could you please sit in this wheelchair and I'll take you down to theatres." Mumbo had watched her, studied her. She wore the same scrubs as the patients, except while his own clothes were paper-thin, hers were far more substantial. A watch hung from her tunic pocket. He stared at it, as the light shone from the clock face. "Mr Jumbo?" She prompted, his eyes flicked to hers, and he gave a silent nod before shifting from his spot on the mattress and lowered himself into the chair. Once the nurse had ensured he was comfortable, their journey began. He was pushed through the hospital-like building, white walls whizzed passed, scientists and doctors walked in different directions, patients - all clad in the same scrubs as him - laid on their beds.

Mumbo clenched his eyes against the memory as the last image flashed through his mind. He was laid atop a rigid leather mat, it dug into his muscles uncomfortably. It didn't matter what position he tried to shift to, it still hurt. A mask was slipped over his nose and mouth, its soft plastic rested on his skin. He glanced about the room, not daring to move. A man hunched over him, his brown eyes were all Mumbo could see, as a surgical mask covered the rest of his face. He watched Mumbo carefully, asking him to count backwards from ten. As Mumbo complied, something sweet, like cotton candy flushed through the mask, it tingled in his nose and throat and Mumbo instantly felt drowsy, his eyes were heavy and his body felt like it was made of lead. "10. 9. 8... 7... 6--" Then darkness.

Mumbo's eyes flicked open, and he was greeted with the same room that Wels had left him in, he was laying in the bed, the nurses must have deposited him there after the surgery, a side table arched over his prone body, a little plastic cup of water sat there. Mumbo hadn't realised how dry his throat was until he saw the glistening liquid. He reached for it, as if he had just escaped from a month in a desert, and gulped down the water, the muscles in his neck twinged in pain but he couldn't care. The wetness of the water seemed pure and magical against his dry throat, it soaked his tongue and Mumbo moaned in bliss. He had never fully appreciated water until that moment. 

"Welcome back, sir." The woman's voice caught Mumbo off guard. He glanced at her as he drank. "I see you're drinking well, if you can keep some food down, you should be able to go home today." The nurse muttered, she wore the same uniform as the nurse before had. 

"Wh-what time is it?" He asked.

"Seven am." She replied, the soft smile on her face spread as she placed a bowl of porridge on his table. "The chief medical officer is doing his rounds today, he should be by soon, he'll talk you through your changes." At the mention of changes, Mumbo's brow furrowed, his eyes narrowed on her.

"I heard people shouting and I don't know why, but I can smell, god, it's like someone has injected steroids directly into his nose and ears." The nurse chuckled at his words and shrugged.

"It's all perfectly normal. Nothing to worry about, sir. Please try to eat." She muttered before leaving him. Mumbo glared at the porridge before him, steam slowly drifted up from the food, he wanted to gag, push it away, but his stomach growled needily, he reluctantly plucked the spoon from the tabletop and forced the sticky gruel down his throat.

* * *

"His heart rate is normal, resps are as expected, blood pressure is fine." Grian watched as the nurse fiddled with the multiple wires that hung from his body. His mind was still a blur from when he had awoken from his operation. He watched the woman warily as she tapped something on the monitor beside his head.

"What's?" He asked before she fixed him with a searing glare. 

"Please don't interrupt." She hushed him as she continued to input information into the monitor. Grian clamped his lips shut and rested his head against the pillow. The surrounding smells were so strong, much more so than before his surgery. Everyone around him seemed to be screaming rather than talking, although he knew that they were barely muttering above whispers. His brow furrowed as he watched them. Each doctor and nurse flitted from patient to patient. He hated this, hated being a number, a calculation. He was a person, with feelings and thoughts. Why couldn't they see that? Grian sighed as he cast his eyes down his body, he'd already peered under the covers and was greeted with the sight of bandages wrapped around his groin, the same material wrapped around his neck. No one had explained anything to him. He had been given a pamphlet to flick through, but he barely understood what was scrawled on the paper. 

"Can someone please..?" He hadn't the chance to finish his question before a man stood over him, his eyes were cool and calculated, the suit that he wore was grey and bland. Grian watched him carefully, he opened his mouth to ask his question but was beaten to it, as the man spoke.

"Mr Charlston. Congratulations, you're one of the first successful typecasts. I'm glad to confirm that you've presented as O-Type." Grian watched the man carefully, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"What does that mean?" 

"I'm sure your leaflet covers all the information." The man flicked his wrist towards the paper beside him, Grian frowned at it, glaring before he shook his head. 

"I don't understand what I read, can you just explain?" He asked, thrusting his hands into the air in defeat. 

The doctor huffed with irritation. The same emotion flooded through Grian's chest as he watched him. He raised a brow and had to restrain himself from snapping at the man.

"You're an omega, congratulations."

"An omega? What does that mean?"

"Your body has changed, Mr Charlston. You will now undergo monthly cycles, where you will reach a fertile window and you can become pregnant. You will experience heightened stages of arousal, we call these heats." Grian regarded him, mouth agape. Pregnant? Did that doctor just say he could become pregnant? His mind whirled through the information, his chest tightened, his heart thrummed against the confines of his rib cage. "Doctor?" He turned to the man but was greeted with the vacant space as he left. "Wait!" He called out, pushing himself up, sitting in his bed. His body ached, tensed and complained against his movements. It hurt, but he had to know what was happening. He was confused, so clueless about what had happened to him. 

A male nurse flitted from the patient beside Grian, "Wait! Please!" Grian called to the man. He stopped in his tracks and stared at the blond, his eyes were wide and mouth agape. "Please. I just want answers." Grian asked him. The man glanced towards the nurse's station before his eyes fell back to Grian. Rage pulsed through his veins. "I have given my body to you people! The least you can do is give me some fucking answers!" Grian screamed. 

At his outburst, the nurse's eyes widened. His hands flew in front of him, trying to placate the blond. "Okay. I'll tell you what you want, just please stop shouting, you're hurting the other patients." Grian's mouth clamped shut, his eyes flicked to the others beside him, each of them had their hands clamped over their ears as they glared at him. Grian nodded, eyes fixed back to the nurse. 

"Can I get pregnant?" Grian asked as the man stepped to the side of his bed. The nurse glanced to his monitor and nodded. 

"Yes."

"How is that possible?" Grian asked. 

"The procedure that you've gone through has altered your biology. Where pregnancy was limited to females before, now it's limited to omegas, only an alpha can impregnate you. But even then it's..." The man grunted as he tried to think of the word. "... Fiddly." 

"What do you mean?"

"Omegas and alphas are paired together. Their most compatible partner is needed for omegas to be impregnated."

"The man who came to my house, he told me I would be paired with someone, who is it? Who's my 'most compatible partner'?" Grian spat the words out as if they tasted vile. The nurse flinched and worried his lip anxiously. 

"I can't give you that information." He whimpered. Grian glared at the man, his eyes flashed dangerously, threateningly. The nurse gulped and nodded, understanding. He pulled a device from his pocket and tapped something on the screen. "Mr Mumbo Jumbo." The nurse muttered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to ask everyone, in the last chapter Mumbo said that the name of the scanner was an AP Model Security Scanner, if anyone can guess what 'AP' stands for, then kudos to you guys :D (Hint: It's got nothing to do with hermitcraft and it isn't a reference to Mumbo or Grian, however, it does reference something in real life, that the scanner is based on)
> 
> Also, the term 'resps' is a shortened version of the word 'Respirations' and is used in UK hospitals (and possibly other hospitals too) to describe the number of breaths taken per minute. (The healthy amount is around 12-16 breaths per minute)
> 
> Also, I would like to thank everyone who has been commenting and giving kudos, it honestly gives me so much motivation to write :D


	6. The Alpha & The Omega

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, so here is another chapter :D It's a little longer than the previous one, I hope you enjoy it :D

The room was silent as Mumbo stared at the medical officer. The man's eyes were soft and gentle as he flicked through Mumbo's care notes, humming quietly as he reached several points of interest. 

"Is everything okay?" Mumbo asked, his brows twitched in curiosity as he stared at the man. The officer glanced towards him and flashed a soothing smile. 

"Yes, sir, you are." He nodded and settled himself in the chair at the opposite end of the room, at the foot of Mumbo's bed. "So you will be able to go home, with no issues." He nodded to himself before continuing. "We have selected your partner and they are the best match for your fertility." He muttered as he read through the paperwork, his eyes followed along the line of words that had been printed. He smiled to himself, as he let his eyes flick from the care notes and back to Mumbo. "I can confirm that you have presented as an alpha. Has someone explained to you what that is?" He asked. 

"Wels mentioned it, but only briefly, he said that you would walk me through it?" Mumbo replied, watching the other carefully. The man nodded. The smile returned to his lips. He settled the paper on the floor beside him and clasped his hands together, leaning forward in his chair, as he prepared his explanation.

"Our experimental trial is a leap forward in human medicine. Your genetic markers have been altered and you will now have a semi-double helix." Mumbo's eyes widened at the scientific jargon. The man chuckled softly and apologised. "Let me explain." He muttered. "So, before the trial, your DNA represented itself as a double helix, as I'm sure you know. A semi-double helix means that you now have an extra section of DNA added to your genetic coding. This comprises several proteins we've harvested from animals. You've probably noticed that your sense of smell and hearing has increased in sensitivity?" The scientist asked, his brow lifted. Mumbo nodded at that. The man smiled before he continued. "Fantastic, that's a side effect of the process. Your physiological body hasn't changed much at all, you are a male who has presented as alpha, so your role in copulation is the same as it always has been, to impregnate another. Now, if you were to have presented as an omega, your body would have adapted to accept a fetus and then give birth. Think of dogs. When a female goes into heat, the male is affected, his genitals react and his instincts take over. The same will happen to you when your partner enter's their monthly heat cycle."

Mumbo sat back in his bed, his eyes still focused on the man. He nodded as he slowly accepted the overload of information. "So, why did you use animal DNA?" Mumbo asked.

"The sterile pandemic has only affected humans, animals kept the ability to reproduce, where we lost it." He explained, his voice soft, a slight sorrow tainted the words. Mumbo understood why, losing the ability to reproduce had affected everyone, the lack of babies, the inevitable end of their species was finally upon them and most people hadn't known how to handle it, some of them had turned to such drastic measures as to committing suicide. Mumbo cast his eyes downwards. His mind fell quiet as he silently thought of those people, the people who had found no hope. He wished that they could see what the world had done, how society had adapted to overcome this pandemic. 

"Have you got any more questions?" The medical officer interrupted Mumbo's thoughts, pulling him from his reverie. The moustached man glanced to him, watched him. He hummed in response and gave a soft nod. 

"Will this work, doctor?"

At Mumbo's question, the man's lips thinned to a hard line. His eyes flicked away from Mumbo, escaping his direct and questioning gaze. He gave a soft huff before he shrugged. "I cannot say for certain, all of our tests say that it does. But, you're an intelligent man, can you say for certain that all of your products will work seamlessly?" He fired back. Mumbo watched the man for a moment before his lips quirked into a sad smirk. He shook his head. "We will come by to run monthly tests, if that's okay, we'll be assessing both yours and your partner's health and how your bodies are coping with this change. We will call ahead before stopping by, we don't want to interrupt a heat." He muttered. "Will that be okay?" Mumbo nodded at that.

"That should be fine, have you got my contact details?" The man plucked the care notes from the floor and flicked to the first page before he read out the details he found there. Mumbo confirmed their accuracy. 

"Very good, your clothes have been laundered, if you wouldn't mind changing into them, I can meet you outside and I'll take you to the collection bay, where you will meet your omega. Have you got the facilities to support yourself and your partner?" The man asked. Mumbo nodded. "Okay, if you feel that you are struggling, this goes to both yourself and your partner, then please contact us. We will be more than happy to ensure you're both kept as comfortable as possible." Mumbo knew what the man was insinuating; if he or his partner hated each other, or felt that they were incompatible, then PostPopulate would intervene. The scientist nodded wordlessly before he pushed from his seat. "I'll leave you to change." He muttered before he stepped from the room and quietly closed the door behind him.

Once the room had descended into silence, and Mumbo was alone, he leant back against the headboard. His mind whirled with all the new facts and figures that the scientist had spewed at him in the last few moments. It was all too much to take in, but yet he was endlessly interested. Biology had always been intriguing for Mumbo. Although he specialised in the anatomy of machines and engineering, he still found himself curious about the bioengineering of the world around him. Although his little peek into the mechanics of PostPopulate's trial had baffled him, it had thrown a metaphorical spanner in his mind and Mumbo was unsure how to remove it. While he was excited to meet his partner, the gravity of what he had subjected himself to had finally hit him. His body had been changed, and not just superficially, his entire genetic makeup had been adapted for this strange experiment. While Mumbo was curious about the upcoming changes, he was also frightened. Anxiety swirled within his chest and sparked with each thrum of his beating heart. The doctor had said that he was healthy, so why was he feeling so breathless?

Mumbo leant forward and rested his elbows atop his knees, cradling his head. Iskall's voice echoed through his mind, 'In for four, hold for seven and release for eight.' He focused on his breathing, his blurred mind had one point of focus and that was to ensure that he didn't delve deep enough into his anxiety as to suffer a panic attack. He continued the rhythmic breathing until his thoughts fell blissfully silent. The room was no longer as bright and his nerves felt almost numb to the world, as he came back to himself. 

Mumbo scraped his hand across his face and sighed heavily. This was it, this was his future. He had no choice but to work alongside it. After all, he had done this to himself. He shuffled to the edge of the bed and pushed his body to its feet. His legs trembled with the effort, but after several attempts, he was able to support himself. He reached for his clothes and shuffled to the bathroom, locking the door behind him. As soon as he shifted passed the motion sensor, the room lit to life and the extractor fan hummed. His body ached, his skin felt gritty. He grimaced to himself and stared longingly to the shower. Mumbo cursed his past self for not bringing a washbag as he stripped from the white scrubs, peeling the thin material from his body, as one would do to an orange.

While he had been recovering in his bed, after his breakfast that morning, a nurse had come by his room and had removed his bandages. Mumbo stared at the patch of skin on his neck that had once been covered. Elegant stitches lined the space under his ear. He leant closer to the mirror to inspect it, but his eyes were caught by something else. Between his legs. Mumbo glanced down and gasped in shock. Prior to the operation, Mumbo would have described his genitals as average size, not too long and with a decent ratio of thickness. However, what he saw now was a stark contrast to that. It was as if someone had held a magnifying glass to his cock. It was large, long and thick. "Goodness me." He gasped as he stared at it. He distantly wondered if they had surgically enhanced it or if it was yet another side effect to the genetic re-coding of his DNA. Either way, Mumbo was equally thrilled by the change and appalled by it. 

"Are you okay, sir?" The scientist called out from behind the bathroom door, snapping Mumbo from his inspections. The man blushed brightly and almost choked on his words as he called back that he was fine. Mumbo hurriedly slipped into his suit and glared at himself in the mirror. His raven hair was mussed from surgery, and his moustache was slightly askew. He combed his hair back into place with his fingers and stroked his facial hair back to position, before unlocking the door and stepping from the room. His scrubs were held in his left hand, balled up. 

"What should I do with these?" He asked the scientist. He glanced between Mumbo and the clothes in his hand, before depressing the lever of the bin with his foot and directing Mumbo to drop the soiled clothes into it. 

"They're single-use." He explained before turning on his heel and leading Mumbo from the room.

Outside, the hospital hadn't changed in the slightest. The same bland walls lined their path as the two walked. The ward in which Mumbo had passed through that first day seemed the same, except it was now empty, the beds all remade and the surrounding spaces tidied. Mumbo followed the man from the bay and through to the main entrance of the compound. The lobby was neat and well maintained. A group of people stood at the reception desk, their heads snapped to Mumbo and the man as they emerged from the far door. 

This room was a stark contrast to where Mumbo had entered that first day, where he was greeted with security and armed guards then, this room seemed to be the polished face of a private care facility. "Grian Charleston." The man called to the people who huddled beside the desk. There were men and women, all of varying ages and races. Mumbo scanned the faces of the group, but his eyes fell on one man in particular. It was the blond he had spotted that first day. His hair was just as golden and mussed as he had remembered, his eyes the same bright crystals that had intrigued Mumbo.

"Yes?" The blond, Grian, replied and stepped forward. Was this beautiful creature his partner? Was he the man who'd be returning home with him? 

"Hello. This is your partner. Have you any luggage?" The scientist asked the blond. Grian's eyes flicked from one man to the other before he shook his head quietly.

"No."

"Very well, then I will bid you both a good day gentlemen." The medical officer smiled at the pair. "Mr Jumbo, the car that brought you will be waiting outside. If either of you think of any future questions, here's my card." The man then stretched out a hand to Mumbo. He plucked the card from the officer's fingers before nodding to him. Mumbo glanced to Grian and gave a soft smile.

"I'm Mumbo -" 

"Jumbo, yeah, I know." Grian sneered to him. "I'm well aware of who you are." He growled before turning on his heel and stomping away to the front door. Mumbo watched him, a soft smirk played on his lips. Iskall was wrong. Mumbo had made the right call in signing up for the program. Grian was perfect, he was equal parts beautiful and thrilling. He followed the smaller out to the car and struggled to keep the grin from stretching his lips. He liked Grian, he liked him a lot. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your continued support, it is really appreciated, but if you haven't already, please leave kudos if you have enjoyed this chapter and I'd love it if you could leave me a comment to let me know what you thought :D


	7. Prison In Disguise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, so I have a slightly longer chapter for you today :D I hope you enjoyed it, it's very descriptive. I wanted to set the scene of where the story would be based for these next few chapters :D

The sun shone brightly on the car as it slowly turned across the tarmacked area of the facility. Grian curled in on himself tighter, painfully aware of the other man who occupied the seat beside him. The space between them wasn't nearly enough for him. He cast a sideways glance to the man. Mumbo's hair was dark, almost black, his eyes shone an emerald green that were set off nightly by the pale luminescence of his skin, a dark curled moustache sat on his upper lip. If the man hadn't been _assigned_ to him, Grian may have found him attractive. His stomach clenched and knotted when Mumbo's eyes flicked to him. He narrowed his eyes at the man and shot a scathing glare at him before his eyes slipped to the window, watching as the scenery flashed passed them. 

Grian distantly knew the way back to the slums. It was just across the hill; it sat putrid and dank in the valley below. He stared at the green of the grass, his heart clenched achingly. He remembered, as a child, he had stared at the hill, at the upper-folk, as those from the slums referred to them. He remembered feeling distantly jealous but infinitely curious as to what life was like for those who lived up the hill rather than at the base. But now that Grian saw what was here, he wasn't all that impressed. The slums were a stark contrast to what he saw before him, where the dingy place he called home was almost constantly cast in the shade of a cloud of smog, this strange world was blissfully free of its confines, the sun bathed the area, feeding the plants and hearts of those who lived here. 

The rolling cities stood high, almost crystal in their brightness. The people seemed full and healthy, their eyes were bright as they bustled through their lives. Grian envied their carelessness, their freedom. He had jumped from one prison and straight into another. And for what? Grian sighed, his eyes fell to his lap. He hardly knew. Mary-Anne's face flashed through his mind, her knotted hair and sad blue eyes shone brighter than any self-centred urge that Grian felt. His chest tightened. That was why he was here. It wasn't his choice; it was for his sister. His motives driven and guided by a distant hope that maybe, just maybe, his sister would have a better life than he had. A future that would be her own, her choices and decisions. A future where money wasn't an issue. Grian stared at the vast blue sky, his eyes locked onto a cloud. The fluffy white thing gently floated across the oceanic blue. He had to continue, push through his own hindering fears and anxieties. He had to keep the steady flow of money to his sister, or PostPopulation may just stop the tap, narrowing the stream until it was barely a dribble, until it was nothing once again and Mary-Anne had to suffer through the pain he had, watch her life be torn between what was best for her and what would keep her family afloat. 

The car rolled to a stop, stones crunched under the tyres. Grian had never cared for cars, he distantly knew that this one was a gently, purely because of the familiar badge that was stuck to the front of it. His family had never owned a car, they'd never had the money. He hadn't seen the draw to them; in Grian's eyes, they were nothing more than an excessively expensive device to move around. Why couldn't people just walk? It was far healthier for them. "Thank you, Alexander." Mr Jumbo's voice husked from beside him. Grian flinched at the sound, he'd almost forgotten the man was there. He chastised himself. How could he forget him? He was his new prison guard, his new warden. 

How could Grian trust the other? Who would have readily volunteered for the PostPopulate programme? Who would have actively paid money to be altered in such an obscene and irreversible way? Grian's eyes stole a swift glance to the other beside him. It only confirmed his thoughts. A man who was so swamped with money that he hadn't the foggiest on what to do with it. Grian seethed. While there were people struggling to survive, fighting for nothing but pennies, there were people like Mr Jumbo who had bought the rites to someone else's body. Was it not enough that the rich bastard could live in a castle, could have anything that the world readily provided? No, he had to buy another person. Subscribe to a regime that stole the one thing that people like Grian had, the thing that they could keep, even when the money ran dry. The ability to say 'no'.

The blond watched the other slip from the car. The driver had opened the door for Mr Jumbo. Grian sneered at that. The man thought he was too good to open doors for himself. He rolled his eyes derisively before he turned to clasp the handle of the door beside him, but before he could wrap his fingers around the metal, the door opened. It swung wide, beckoning him out of the car. Grian frowned slightly before peering from his place within the vehicle. Mr Jumbo stood tall, his hand resting on the frame of the door. Something twisted in Grian's stomach. Was he trying to win him over? Was this the alpha's plan? To try to woo Grian into bed with him. The blond smirked as he stood on the gravel drive, Mr Jumbo would have to try harder than that, much, much harder.

Without muttering a thank you, Grian turned away from the two men, his eyes followed the line of trees that stood on the grounds of Mr Jumbo's residence, his eyes scanned across the greenery until they fell on the building before them. His mouth slackened, falling agape. Oolitic limestone walls stretched high, meeting the dark grey slate of the roof. Grian had always had an affinity for architecture, having spent his days in school building dens with his friends. While they had always been interested in the games they would play, Grian had always been far more enamoured with the building of their hideouts. As much as bile rose through his stomach at the sight of the beautiful prison, he couldn't deny himself the pleasure that he garnered from staring at it. Its high windows spanned tall and traditional, almost an echo to more well-known Victorian-Esque manors that he remembered seeing in his school textbooks. 

Behind him, Mumbo and Alexander shared a brief farewell before the taller man came to stand beside the shorter. Grian could feel his eyes on him, he shifted uncomfortably before he too glanced to Mr Jumbo. "Umm... So, I'd say welcome home, but I don't think you really want to be here do you?" The man asked. His voice shook with nerves and his eyes roved over Grian's face. The blond felt as though his every move was scrutinized. Although, something in Mr Jumbo's gaze was unfamiliar. He didn't seem to judge Grian, didn't seem to expect anything from him. A soft sorrow was held in the lines of the man's face, a sadness encased in the glaze of his eyes. Grian cleared his throat and shrugged, facing nonchalance. 

"I don't have much choice, do I?" He huffed and faced back to the manor, although his eyes still peeked to the moustached man's face. Mumbo watched Grian for a moment before he sighed, his eyes trained to the house, and Grian saw something strained in his features. It was gentle but determined, soft but driven. "Are we just going to stand here?" He broke the silence that had spanned between them. His words startled Mr Jumbo from his stupor and the man gave a nervous chuckle.

"Not at all, after you." He gestured with his hand. Grian pinned him in place with a withering stare before he stepped forward and towards the grandiose building.

Mumbo beat him to the dark oak door, depressing the golden handle, and chivalrously stood aside, allowing Grian to enter first. Lightly shaded ceramic tiles spread throughout the foyer making the floor, it spanned throughout the house, for as far as Grian could see. Descending from their right was a grand staircase, the polished wooden steps shone under the glow of the natural light and for a moment Grian had forgotten that he was supposed to be bitter about him being there, his eyes widened at the beauty of the place. 

"Sir!" Jackie's voice echoed through the foyer and snapped Grian back to reality. A woman came barreling over to Mr Jumbo, her eyes wide with almost motherly concern. Behind her were three more women, an older one with short greying hair, and two ladies who seemed closer to his and Mr Jumbo's age. The one who stood in the middle had her light pink hair tucked neatly away in a mussed bun that sat atop her head like a nest and beside her was a slender girl, her sandy curls were cut to a short bob that dangled around her ears. All the women wore almost casual clothes, Grian's brow furrowed at the sight. He had always assumed that the hired help in such a stately manor would have been forced to don uniforms, except these ladies all wore clothes that matched them beautifully. The motherly woman, who cooed over Mr Jumbo wore a knee-length denim skirt and a thin pink blouse, the older matronly woman, who stood beside the remaining two girls wore a pair of loose-fitting blue jeans and a matching blue button-down shirt. The pink-haired woman donned a pair of dungarees that covered a light yellow top and finally, the blonde girl wore black leggings and a shirt, the words 'Rolling Stones' scrawled across the front. 

Mr Jumbo's deep chuckle pulled Grian from his staring and he glanced to the two, his eyes narrowed on the woman and her flittering. Something coiled deep in his belly, something that Grian would have once named jealousy, although he couldn't work out as to why he would be jealous of this woman, especially over Mr Jumbo. He shook the thought from his mind and cleared his throat softly, pulling Mr Jumbo's attention to him. Mumbo blushed slightly. "Umm, this is Grian." He introduced lamely. "He is..." His words faltered, how would one describe someone who'd been assigned to him in a fertility experiment? Mumbo hadn't a clue. "He is my honourable guest. I believe that Iskall asked for you to prepare a room for him?" 

The older woman nodded mutely. "It's set up nicely, sir." She replied, her southern accent swam through her words. Mr Jumbo nodded approvingly before his eyes fell to Maria. 

"Would you be able to show Grian to his room? I'm sure he's exhausted. We've both been through quite the ordeal." He explained. The youngest girl nodded, her blonde ringlets danced above her shoulders as she stepped forward, her eyes flicked to Grian's own before they shot down to the floor. 

"This way, please." Her voice was dainty and delicate, almost as if someone had tapped their nail against crystal glass. Grian smiled softly at her. Maybe she felt like a prisoner too? Maybe she'd understand him. He followed her as she climbed the stairs. He cast one last glance back to the group. His eyes fell to Mr Jumbo, who watched as he ascended. Grian's eyes widened at being caught and he hurried up the last few steps. 

At the top of the stairs, Grian glanced down the hall. His eyes flicked about the details, studying it. Hardwood stretched across the corridor and a muted beige carper sat above it spanning the length, following in the wooden tracks. The walls were high and elegantly panelled, paintings and mirrors hung from them. Grian's eyes fell to the girl before him as she padded forwards. Her mouth was clamped shut and her eyes remained glued down to her feet. He followed her. "This is your room, sir." She muttered and gestured to a grand door. Grian glanced to it and then back to her. 

"Please just call me Grian. I'm no better than you." He muttered, the girl glanced to him and stared at him quizzically. Their eyes were fixed on one another for a moment before Grian pulled away, thanking the girl, he depressed the handle and stepped through into the room.

Crossing the boundary between the corridor and the bedroom, Grian felt as though he had leapt through decades of time. Where the manor was furnished with traditional decor, this room was not. Modernistic plain walls spanned across the room, painted a dark cream, a carpet of the same colour covered the floor, it's fluffy material soft against the soles of Grian's shoes. A large four-poster bed stood high at the centre of the left wall, and at the foot of it was a white chest of drawers. Beyond, there was a step, it sectioned the room into halves, the carpet was halted at the base of the step, timber panels carried themselves across the rest of the floor. At the centre of the wooden platform was a large elegant slipper bath with gold plated taps looming over the side. Beyond the bath were large windows that hung over the back of the house, showing a spanning view of the luscious grounds that the manor sat upon. Grian gawked at the room. Was this his? This large space could have fit his old bedroom five times over and still have space for more. 

The blond pushed off his shoes, his toes wriggled against the fuzzy carpet before he padded to the bed and stretched across it. The mattress was soft against his body and the sheets were divine against his skin, so lusciously soft. The merino wool was silky to touch and Grian sunk deeper into their delicate hold. Was this entire room his own? He could barely believe it. His admiration faltered though, as he remembered why he was there. Bitterness seeped through his stomach as he glared at the fanciful bedsheets. Mary-Anne was why he was here, he had to do this for her, he had to be present for her future. Grian sighed as his eyes stung at the memories of her last words to him, his last promise to her. Hot tears dripped from his cheeks and onto the expensive bed linen. 

* * *

Orange hues bathed the room around Mumbo. He pressed back against the leather armchair as the fire roared beside him. Floral scents filtered through the conservatory, as the plants stood tall from their pots. He cradled a tumbler of whisky in his hands, the ice clinked against the glass as he slowly brought it to his lips. His thoughts fluttered around the blond, his mind focused on Grian's face. He couldn't understand why he hated him so, why Grian resented him. Surely he had signed up for PostPopulate, knowing what he was walking into, that he would be paired with another, that he would be expected to live with them. If that were so, then why was it so obvious that Grian hated it here?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, so I do hope you all enjoyed it :D
> 
> The house was based on Grian's dream house video, and I stole the interior design from several Google image searches :D
> 
> If anyone is confused as to why Mumbo is so rich when he is just the owner of an engineering company, you will find this out in later chapters. But as a quick brief, his family were not 'just' engineers... :D There is a reason that Mumbo doesn't speak to his parents, or mention them favourably :D
> 
> Thank you all for your continued support, I am enjoying this story so much :D and I'd be so appreciative if you could comment your thoughts on this chapter, and if you haven't already, please leave kudos :D Thank you :D


	8. From Then To Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, so I've uploaded another chapter. I hope you like it, it is a little shorter than the previous one, so I'm sorry about that... But either way, I hope you all enjoy it!

Mumbo stared at the paper before him. The letter had come folded neatly in an envelope. His eyes scanned every word, followed the curvy lines of the neat writing. He knew who the penmanship belonged to; he recognised the scrawl; he had seen it multiple times before. He had heard nothing from his father in months and Mumbo had been glad for it. The man was cruel; he was unkind. Mumbo remembered his school days, memories of bloody noses and sniffled tears because of the other boys in his class - the bullies. His father had taken his belt and beaten Mumbo, told him that the Juksford family name would not be tainted by weakness. Mumbo had decided then that he would renounce his surname, and he began going by Mumbo Jumbo. Of course, he had still inherited the family business, although; he rejected it. 

  


The Juksford fortune had not been built on the wholesome engineering company, 'Redstone'. It had been crafted from pain, torture and suffering. Mumbo's family had founded the Hermit Gang, which had soon developed and blossomed into the Hermit Mafia. His grandfather had been the kingpin of such gruesome activities, disguising his criminal underworld with the facade of 'Redstone'. Mumbo's father had then come to power in his stead and, in turn, was prepared to pass the position to Mumbo himself. But Mumbo had changed his name, he'd rejected his entire family and so had run away from the role that was once his birthright. Mumbo's sister, Willow Juksford, came to power over the Hermit Mafia and, in turn, Mumbo had taken the trojan horse company, Redstone, and made it his own. He had slowly knitted the threads, had dotted his 'I's and crossed his 'T's and brought what had once been a hollow echo and made it into the most successful engineering company, succeeding far beyond the boundaries that restrained his competitors. 

  


Having renounced the position, as the leader of the Hermit Mafia, Mumbo hadn't the money to kick-start his business, for months he had floundered in a sea of failure, slowly drowning. That was when his sister, Willow, presented him with a deal. Mumbo would inherit his share of the Mafia's riches, and in return would provide his sister with the facade she required, the safety net. Every contract, every deal had been made with both his and her names on the paper, while in the night Willow would run with the gang members who followed her, in the day she was nothing but a humble businesswoman. They were co-owners of Redstone, while it had originally been funded with blood money, Mumbo had slowly filtered out the evil from the company, he had taken a vow to never hurt another, to never allow himself to fall into the same trap that followed the Juksford family. However, Willow's name continued to circulate within Redstone, it had never been dropped from its place beside his own, and while she allowed him to live a harmonic life away from the harm that she posed towards the residents of the city, she still reminded him, every once in a while that she was his partner. His colleague. 

  


Mumbo's jaw clenched as he stared at the letter. His father hadn't approved of his choices. He often wrote to remind him of this, to curse at him for tearing their family apart, to call him weak, to tell Mumbo that he was less of a man for wanting to be normal, for not wanting to harm others. This time, however, the letter held chiding remarks about his decision to sign up to the PostPopulate programme. Mumbo seethed as he read it. He pinched his brow between his forefinger and thumb. He knew that he would receive little to no repercussions from his actions, however, that didn't deter him from resenting the vile words. He screwed the paper into a tight ball, crushing it in his palms. He growled as he destroyed it, allowing himself to feel the rage that his family incited within him. He threw the crumpled paper into the bin beside his desk and pushed himself from his seat. 

  


A flurry of anger swelled in his chest, and Mumbo had to keep himself from screaming with frustration. He paced back and forth in his office, letting his rage slowly disperse with each step. He grit his teeth as he came to a stop in the centre of the room. He was more annoyed with himself, more irritated that he had allowed the letter to incite such a drastic reaction from him. While he could usually maintain his composure, something within Mumbo had snapped. The crushing weight of Grian's resentment towards him paired with the ever-looming presence of his sister had worn his patience thin, so the stress of his father's judgmental and abusive words had been the final straw that had destroyed his tightly held mask. He sighed in defeat and flicked his gaze to the large window of his office, gazing out over the grounds of the Jumbo estate. 

  


The rolling mounds of grass, interrupted with perfect flower beds and the large pool that decorated the centre of his view sent a slow calming sensation trickling through his veins. Mumbo allowed himself to take a deep breath, followed by another. His frazzled nerves slowly relaxed, the muscles in his shoulders loosened, as he watched the natural beauty of his garden wash over him. 

  


A red jumper and golden hair caught his gaze. Mumbo's eyes narrowed on the figure as he watched Grian step across the grass, his hands pushed deep in his pockets. It had been three days since their return to the house and Grian had remained achingly resentful, despairingly distant. Mumbo had tried to connect with the other, had tried to spark a conversation, but the blond had remained just slightly out of his reach, battling against his attempts at bridging the gap between them. Mumbo had decided that maybe he needed time to adjust to his new life and had backed away from the other, although everything within him screamed at him to push further, to try harder. To not give up.

  


* * *

  


The sun was warm against Grian's slightly tanned skin. He smiled wistfully, gazing up at the sun, blissfully unaware of the eyes that had fixed on him from the office above. It had taken the blond several hours to survey the entire property, the estate was so large and grand that Grian often found himself unsure of where he was, however, he always managed to make his way to where he needed to be. The first day at the estate had been the hardest. Thoughts of his sister had flashed through his mind, disrupting his sleep and consuming him. The second day had been better, though. Grian had mentally mapped out Mr Jumbo's property, he'd slowly walked through the entire mansion and he felt that he almost knew where he was going at all times. 

  


Grian was happy to be free of the four walls of his bedroom, even if he was still confined to the grounds of the estate, he relished in the sun's heat on his skin and the wind in his hair. He beamed up to the sky and soaked in the beauty of it all. He gently breathed in the fresh air, allowing his lungs to fill with it before releasing it. His eyes flicked open and fell to a simple wooden building. His brows furrowed at the sight of it, and his lip quirked with interest. Grian stepped towards it and as he approached, the soft snorting and shuffling of animals met his ears. 

  


He pushed his palm against the large wooden door and was met with a line of stable blocks. A horse stood in each one, happily munching on the hay bales that had been left for them. Grian grinned at the sight. He loved animals, he'd always wanted to own a cat, but his family had never had the money to spare. He stepped through the stables, his eyes fell on the metal plaques that were fixed to the door of each block, the names of the horses were engraved on the metallic plates. 

  


Grian's eyes fixed on the last stable. A tall black Friesian horse stood proud, his gaze focused on the space before him. Grian stepped closer to the animal. Both man and horse surveyed each other. They seemed to understand one another. "That's Benji." A deep voice echoed through the stables, reverberating around the wooden building. Grian's eyes widened at the sound of it as he turned. His stare was met with an all too familiar face. His gaze darkened as he glared at Mr Jumbo. 

  


Mumbo's mouth tightened in a grimace at the heated hatred he found in the other man's eyes. He sighed regretfully before he stepped forward. "You can stroke him, just let him smell you first." He encouraged. Grian watched Mumbo warily for a moment, his chest filled with anxiety as the man walked towards him, closing the gap between them. He held Mumbo with his eyes for a moment longer before he hesitantly reached his arm out to the horse. The powerful creature inched closer to his outstretched limb, its breaths flowed across Grian's palm as it sniffed him, before it dipped its head, allowing him to pet it. Grian couldn't hide the smile that spread across his face as he touched the silky black fur. 

"He's beautiful." Grian gasped.

"I know," Mumbo replied, not looking at the horse. Grian's eyes flicked to him and a light dusting of pink flushed across his cheeks. The resentment that had once been there seemed to release its hold for a moment.

"Mr Jumbo - ."

"Please, I'd prefer it if you called me Mumbo." 

  


Grian flicked his gaze to the other before he gave a muted nod. "Mumbo, why did you volunteer for the programme?" 

  


Mumbo watched Grian silently. His eyes widened at the question and for a moment he floundered in fear. His mind flashed with a well-prepared lie, but he decided against it and sighed with resignation before he allowed himself to speak the truth. "I was lonely. People don't befriend me out of kindness. It's usually either based on fear or greed. I wanted the chance to meet someone who may see passed that."

"So you chose me?" Grian's question was so fast, so sudden that it sent Mumbo reeling. He watched the other silently for a moment before he cleared his throat and answered.

"I didn't choose you. The doctors told me you were my most fertile match." He explained. Grian's heart clenched tightly at the words, his stomach quivering with disgust.

"I've shown you nothing but cruelty, why do you keep trying. If you didn't choose me, then why do you persist? Why don't you call the guy who gave you his card?"

"Do you want me to call him?"

  


At Mumbo's question, Grian's hand faltered in its stroking. Benji huffed in complaint and nudged Grian, prompting him to continue petting him. The blond smirked at the animal and obliged, keeping his gaze away from the other man. "No." He muttered. "I don't think so." Mumbo remained silent at that, his thoughts reeled through his mind before they settled. 

"I like you. I don't want to call the medical officer because I..." He faltered for a moment, his courage deserting him. He sighed and glanced away from the blond. "I want you to like me too. In your own time, of course. But I just, I can't help the way I feel. From the moment I first saw you on the ward, I've not been able to keep you from my thoughts." Grian gasped at that, his cheeks heated more, he felt as though he could catch fire.

"I... I want to like you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oki doki, that was crammed full with information, wasn't it? 
> 
> I cannot thank you all enough for all of your support and kind words :D I love to read what you all think in the comments, it honestly warms my heart and motivates me to continue writing :D


	9. My Alpha, My Omega

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm sorry that this update is a little late. I've had a rough couple of days and needed some time off from writing. But I'm back now :D and I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's a little longer than the others to make up for not updating sooner :D

The sun hung high in the sky over the Jumbo estate. Its bright hues twinkled through the large, tall windows. It lit the mansion with its bright light, shining through the corridors and twinkling off the small chandelier that hung above the sitting room. Sat on two different sofas were Grian and Mumbo, both mirroring each other's closed-off expressions. While Mumbo was tensed about the blond, Grian was tensed for the upcoming visit from the PostPopulate medical team. Mumbo's mind lit with the memories of the day before.

* * *

Both he and Grian had stood in the stables, for a moment, Mumbo thought he saw a crack in the other man's determined hateful armour, but as the moment had passed, that crack had sealed up and Mumbo was shut out once more. Grian seemed to realise his mistake and after their brief conversation, he'd clamped back up. He trained his eyes on Benji and continued his stroking, while Mumbo was left to flounder for a reason to continue speaking with the other. But before he found what to say, Grian had already excused himself and was slowly retreating to the mansion and back to his bedroom shutting himself away from the moustached man once more. Mumbo retired back to the conservatory that evening, his mind still troubled with the conundrum that Grian posed, he cradled the tumbler close to his chest as he thought, allowing his mind to wistfully contemplate what it would be like if the other allowed him inside his walls. If Grian was to let himself see that Mumbo was not a threat. 

"Mumbo?" Julia's voice cut through his thoughts, pulling Mumbo from his reverie, he brought the tumbler to his lips and sipped at it, humming to her in response. "Sir. I don't mean to intrude on something I might not understand, but..." She paused as she thought of what she wanted to say, "... I would assume that I've known you for a long time, would you agree?" Mumbo glanced to the woman. His eyes roved over her expression. Her age-weathered face softened at the sight of him. Julia had cared for Mumbo, as a child, she had nurtured him when his parents' hadn't the time. She mothered him when he'd cried and had been by his side throughout his life. She'd even followed him away from his family, as he'd started his life with his new name. If anyone had known Mumbo, it was her. He nodded in agreement to her question. Julia smiled and stepped further in the room, taking the seat beside the troubled man. "I've noticed the way you look at Mr Charlseton." She muttered. "I've seen many men have the same expression. I know that you love him." Mumbo scoffed at that. His eyes hardened as he glared at her, but Julia's tender expression softened his resolve and his eyes narrowed on hers. 

"Julia, I've only known the man for a day. How can I be in love with him?" He spat, feigning ignorance. Julia seemed to see right through him. She smirked at him and shrugged. 

"Love can be found very quickly or it can take years to develop. The time doesn't lessen the power of it, nor does it strengthen it. You love him and it doesn't matter that you've known him for such a short amount of time. You still feel it." She told him. When she didn't receive a scathing remark, she continued. "I have also seen many people share the same feelings as Mr Charlseton. I think you believe he hates you, that all the resentment he feels is directly caused by you." Mumbo sipped at the alcohol once more before he glanced back to her, his brows furrowed.

"Of course it is." He snapped. "What other reason does he have? If not for me?" He asked. Julia chuckled humourlessly.

"Think, sir." She told him. "You signed yourself up for the programme, did he?" She asked. Mumbo continued to watch her, remaining silent. She continued. "Are you certain that he chose this?" 

"Yes." Mumbo replied, but his voice faltered. "Maybe?" Julia smirked at him and nodded, she reached out a hand to his knee and let her palm rest against it, the warmth of her hand seeped through his trousers, love and kindness washed over him, spilling from where the woman's body connected to his own. Mumbo stared at it before he glanced back up to her face. 

"You don't know what life can be like in the slums." She told him. "I grew up there, I saw what happens. I even experienced it myself." She sighed. "It's not nice, it's not kind and it is not a fair place. I can almost guarantee that there is a deeper reason why he joined the programme." She paused and watched Mumbo for a moment. "I think whatever that reason for him signing up may be, it's the direct cause for his anger." The two stared at each other in silence. Julia's eyes urged for Mumbo to think, to piece together what she had laid before him. Mumbo's eyes glazed over with thought. His mind jumped from one possibility and to the next, running a mile a minute. Julia may have been right, and if she was, how was he supposed to help Grian? How could he figure this out? How could he deal with loving a man who didn't love him back? Julia patted his leg, the touch shocked Mumbo back to the present and his eyes focused on her. He watched as she pushed herself to stand. "Now, will you walk an old woman to bed?" Mumbo nodded silently and stood with her, linking his arm with hers as he led her through the house.

* * *

"Sir?" Maria's voice chimed through the sitting room, stealing both Mumbo's and Grian's attention. "The medical team are here." She muttered. Mumbo smiled and nodded to her as she stood aside and allowed two men to enter. The first man was tall, a light dusting of facial hair scruffed along his chin and cheeks, his dark brown eyes flicked between the blond and raven-haired men. He donned a white lab coat that covered a pair of dark khaki trousers and a black shirt. "My name is Impulse, and this is Tango." The man, Impulse, introduced his hand, gesturing to his partner. Tango stood slightly shorter than Impulse. His dirty blond hair hung over his ears and dangled just below the nape of his neck, his eyes were dark and he wore a pair of red trousers and a dark grey shirt, his own lab coat draped across his shoulders. "We've come to do a quick checkup, just to see if the trial is working as expected." Impulse's voice was smooth, like molten chocolate. It soothed across Mumbo and encased him. It felt like a cool threat to Grian, however, as the small blond shot a glare at the two.

Mumbo's lips stretched in a welcoming smile as he nodded. "Of course. What do you need to do?" He asked. Impulse raised his arm and deposited a briefcase on the coffee table. 

"We have a scanner that will detect any changes, it shouldn't hurt." He told Mumbo, ignoring Grian. "The test for Alphas and omegas are different, so we'll start with you, Mr Jumbo, if that's okay?" Impulse asked, Mumbo nodded and stood, removing his suit jacket and depositing it across the arm of his chair. "Please remove your shirt and tie, sir." Impulse told him, Mumbo readily complied. 

Grian's eyes flicked across the three other men in the room before focusing on Mumbo. He watched as the taller man stripped his clothes from his upper body. When Grian's eyes fell on Mumbo's bare torso his eyes widened as he struggled to contain a gasp. With the man now shirtless, a scent filled the room. It was strong and musky, gentle but there. Something stirred deep within Grian as he smelled it, a gentle warmth fluttered in his abdomen as his eyes roved across Mumbo's strong broad chest and down the smooth panel of his stomach. His eyes flicked back to Mumbo's face, and their gaze connected. Grian's cheeks heated instantly, and he glanced away, glaring at his hands, folded on his lap.

Mumbo's eyes remained focused on the blond, he couldn't help but preen under his watchful gaze, he felt himself smirk as he puffed his chest in pride impressing his omega. Mumbo faltered then, his face falling blank with confusion and shock at his own thoughts. _His omega?_

"This will feel a little cold, sir." Tango's voice was soft and comforting as he warned Mumbo. The moustached man glanced at him as he held the contraption in his hand. It was a small machine, oblong in shape, a small dish poked from the top of it. Tango pressed the flat side of the dish against Mumbo's flesh and he hissed at the chill. Both Tango and Impulse remained silent as they read the numbers that appeared on the screen. Impulse hummed as he scribbled the reading down.

"Can you check his neck please?" He asked. Tango nodded before he pressed the dish to the space just below Mumbo's ear. They recorded the reading once again before repeating the action on his lower stomach and at his waist, just above the hem of his trousers. 

"Okay, you are fine, sir. All as expected." Tango smiled to Mumbo before he wiped a sanitising cloth across the dish. "You can put your clothes back on, now." Mumbo nodded as he turned to do so.

Tango and Impulse then rounded on Grian. Where their gaze had been soft and calming with Mumbo, they had hardened at the sight of the smaller man. "Up." Impulse ordered. Grian's eyes widened at his commanding tone before he stood slowly, complying. His cheeks heated in embarrassment as he was treated like an animal in front of Mumbo. A stark contrast to how they had interacted with the moustached man. Mumbo's eyes widened with shock at their harsh tones. He paused in dressing as he turned to glare at them. 

"Omega. Take off your shirt." Dehumanised and humiliated, Grian tugged at his jumper, his hands trembled with the movement, his grip on the red material faltered as he fumbled to remove it. Tango grit his teeth with frustration at the frightened man and stepped forward menacingly. "I said. Take off your shirt." He ordered as he gripped onto Grian's jumper, and tugged at it roughly, pulling it off. The material strained, and caught under Grian's chin, strangling him. The blond yelped and tried to pull away.

At the sight of this horrendous treatment, Mumbo's chest tightened with rage. His eyes shone a blistering red as he surged towards them. His shirt was still unbuttoned and hung open as he gripped tightly onto Tango's arm, his grip tight enough to leave bruises. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" He roared as he flung the medical assistant away. Tango stumbled backwards and fell into Impulse. The two men staggered. Mumbo stood in front of Grian, shielding the smaller man with his own body. 

Grian sniffled as frightened tears pricked against his eyes. He tugged his shirt off the rest of the way and whimpered at the sight of the ruined material. The jumper had been a present from his sister. Mary-Anne had saved every last penny of her allowance to buy him the gift for his birthday. Grian had adored it and wore it whenever he could. His chest constricted and tightened as his fingers brushed against the tear that marred the front of the sweater. A growl from Mumbo dragged his attention from his ruined jumper. Mumbo's back tensed with anger as he snarled at the two men. His teeth were bared as his body arched menacingly. Grian's eyes widened at the feral man. He reached out a gentle hand and touched Mumbo's shoulder. The alpha flinched at the soft touch before he glanced backwards, his eyes softened on Grian as he turned his body to face him. Without a word, Mumbo pulled Grian close to him and hugged the man to his chest. He pressed a kiss to the crown of Grian's hair and nuzzled his nose into the blond curls. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Grian's body relaxed instantly as he was encased within the tight body. His initial instinct to push Mumbo away dissipated, and he cuddled closer to the man. _His alpha._ "Yeah, I'm okay," He answered weakly, his voice soft. Mumbo hummed in response before he fixed a searing glare on Tango and Impulse.

"You do not harm him. Is that clear?" He growled. The pair nodded jerkily, their eyes wide with fear. "What test do you have to do?" Tango glanced to Impulse before he cleared his throat to speak.

"We need a sample from it's-" Mumbo's eyes hardened at the objectifying pronoun. "His," Tango corrected quickly. "We need a sample of _his_ blood, but we need to get it from his stomach." Mumbo's eyes flicked between the two before he nodded.

"Are you okay with that, love?" He asked, his voice soft as he cuddled Grian. The blond nodded silently. Mumbo hummed before his eyes hardened once more as they fell on Tango. "Be quick and then leave. If you hurt him, I will fucking kill you." Tango's face paled as he nodded shakily. Mumbo grunted in response and pulled away from Grian.

The rest of the testing was carried out hastily. Both Tango and Impulse worked silently and quickly, so not to anger Mumbo further. The taller man had continued to dress, his eyes focused on both scientists before his gaze came to rest on Grian. The blond remained still. His eyes watched the two work as they stabbed him with the needle and drew his blood from his body. At the stinging puncture, Grian winced but instantly held out a hand, placating Mumbo who'd already begun to snarl menacingly. "I'm okay." He told him. This seemed to sate the other as Tango and Impulse safely deposited the sample in a glass vial before they clipped the briefcase shut. Mumbo then marched the two from the mansion. His dominating presence stark and commanding. Once the two had left Mumbo seemed to relax, his eyes softened back to his usual calm self and his muscles untangled, loosening from the bunching knots they had once been. He stepped back to the sitting room and sank into the chair. 

Grian watched Mumbo warily, still shirtless. "Thank you." He muttered quietly, his voice timid. Mumbo's eyes flicked to him, and he nodded.

"It's okay." 

The two remained silent as they watched each other. "Grian?" Mumbo finally spoke. The blond hummed in response. "I'm sorry they did that to you. I'll buy you another jumper, it will be a replica of that one." He told him. Grian thanked him softly, a small smile playing on his lips. "I have one question though. What the hell just happened?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of your support is so greatly appreciated :D it's so nice to see all of your thoughts on this story. If you haven't done so already, please consider leaving kudos and please leave a comment :D


	10. Heated Words & Galloping Fun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, so here is a very long chapter :D 3,000 words!! I think it's my longest in this story!
> 
> I cannot believe it, we have finally reached double digits and are almost a quarter of the way through the plot, it feels weird though, this story may end up being longer than 45 chapters... I don't know.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter :D

After the day of testing, Grian hadn't slept well the following night. Rendered restless from intermittently crying because of the guilt he felt over Mary-Anne's ruined gift to distantly wondering about the strange feral nature of the gentle and peaceful moustached man. He'd tossed and turned on his bed simultaneously, too warm and too cold. His eyes were sore and aching from his tears and his mind was nothing but a spinning wheel of thoughts. He must have succumbed to slumber at some point, because Grian had awoken to a soft knocking at his bedroom door. He scrunched his face against the sound and buried his head deeper in the pillow, trying to drown out the repetitive noise. He groaned when it continued and flicked his eyes open, instantly regretting it as the sunlight blinded him. It shone brightly from the windows beyond the bath. He whimpered and threw his arm over his face, protecting his eyes from the offensive brightness. The knocking persisted.

With an irritated groan, Grian pushed himself from the silken sheets, donning nothing but a nightshirt and a pair of loose-fitting shorts he padded drowsily towards the door. When he opened it, he was greeted with an empty hallway. Grian's brows furrowed with confusion as he peered around the doorframe, but found nothing but more vacant hallway. He glanced down to his feet and found an expertly wrapped gift box and a little note taped atop it. He gently plucked the box from the floor and carried it inside, closing the door with his foot. He placed the box on the bed and sat astride it. 

The box was bright yellow, a chocolate brown ribbon tied it shut and a flower bow sat primly atop the lid. Grian's lip curved with curiosity as he surveyed the box, his eyes settling on the envelope that was taped beside the bow. He tugged it free and pulled the letter from inside. Grian read the letter aloud. "Dear Grian, I would like to take the time to apologise for my behaviour yesterday. While it was completely out of character, I cannot excuse it." Images of the day prior flashed through Grian's mind. The protective arch of Mumbo's back as he sandwiched himself between Grian and the medical team, the outstretched arms, fingers bent in a clawing motion. The snarling growl. Shivers rippled through Grian's body as his eyes slipped shut, heat pooled in his groin and a soft pink flushed through his cheeks. Grian flicked his eyes back open, his brow furrowed as he grimaced to himself. His bodily reactions, although natural, seemed to happen without his consent. He huffed with frustration and pushed the feelings aside as he continued to read. "I understand that the red sweater was a gift from your sister and held a great deal of sentimental value to you. Although I cannot replace what was lost, I would like to gift you with a replacement of the sweater. I hope that it may provide some comfort in the wake of such a disruptive time for you. Sincerely, Mumbo Jumbo."

Grian let the letter fall from his fingers. It drifted to land on the bedsheets. His eyes fell back to the box, and he tugged the bow loose before lifting the lid away. Folded neatly within the confines of the yellow cardboard was an oversized red sweater. It smelt, felt and appeared the same as the original had when his sister had first bought it for him. Grian's eyes pricked with tears as he grinned and plucked the garment from its place and hugged it close to his chest. He grinned and instantly moved to slip it over his head. It fit his body just as the original had. Grian grinned brightly to the room as his heart fluttered with relief. As Mumbo had so eloquently written, this jumper didn't replace the one that his sister had bought, it gave him some peaceful comfort. 

* * *

Having washed and dressed, Grian slowly padded through the house, distantly hoping that he'd glimpse Mumbo. However, the other man remained frustratingly out of sight. Grian huffed in defeat and began aimlessly wandering through the corridors of the estate. Even though Grian had been living within the confines of the grand mansion for almost a week, he still found himself in awe of the beautiful architecture that blessed the interior of the building. He continued walking as his eyes flicked over the rolling scrolls and patterns that lined the panels of the walls, his fingers tracing them as he stepped. He was so intrigued by the designs he found that he hadn't realised that he'd wandered through to a part of the manor he hadn't explored yet. He paused and glanced around himself. He stood facing a conservatory. Large glass doors separated him from the room. He slid the door open and stepped through. A comforting warmth washed over him. The conservatory was large, akin to that of the rest of the house, its high ceiling was a window that allowed ample natural light to bathe the room, plants and flowers sprouted around the place, and a tiled floor spanned throughout. To the side was a pair of armchairs and stood before them was a stubby coffee table, a decanter, that held bronze alcohol, stood tall on a silver tray a litany of small tumblers surrounded it. 

Grian sat silently on one chair and felt himself be sucked into the seat. The comforting hug of the cushions around his body stole away the tension that he hadn't been aware had been tightly coiling his muscles. He hummed with comfort and let his eyes droop closed as he snuggled back into the chair. 

"Sir?" Julia's soft voice broke the silence of the conservatory, Grian's eyes flicked open and he blushed. He felt like a child who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Julia chuckled at the man's reaction and stretched out a placating hand. A motherly smile graced her withered features. Grian watched her carefully as she stepped further into the room. "Do you mind if I join you?" She politely asked. Grian glanced to the empty chair beside him and nodded. Julia thanked him as she sat. The two remained silent, Grian was painfully aware of the thick tension slowly building as the silence progressed. "You seem troubled." Julia finally broke the quiet. Grian almost sighed with relief as he heard the ice breaking. He glanced to her and shrugged. 

"I don't know what you mean." He feigned ignorance. Julia smirked at him and the blond felt his cheeks heat once again as he was caught in the middle of a lie. He sighed and shook his head, his own smirk on his face. "Is it that obvious?" Julia hummed in thought.

"No." She answered finally. "Not unless you know what to look for." She explained. Grian glanced to the woman, as if seeing her for the first time. His first impression of her had been one of intimidation, but now, he saw an older, motherly woman whose expression betrayed nothing of her motives. "He perplexes you." She muttered finally. 

"Who?"

"Mumbo." 

At her simple answer, Grian knew that he had been caught out. He smiled sadly and nodded. He hadn't fully admitted it to himself, but Julia was right. While Grian had tried his best to remain stoic and even off-putting to the other man, he couldn't understand why Mumbo still tried with him, why Mumbo still seemed interested. Grian knew that his situation with PostPopulation was far from Mumbo's fault, it still felt easier to blame him for it. "You're right, he does." Julia nodded at that, not shocked or surprised in the slightest. She relaxed back on the chair and pressed her fingers together under her chin, in a prayer-like motion.

"Let me tell you a story." She muttered. Grian watched her carefully, but remained silent, allowing her to continue. Julia's eyes slipped shut as she spoke. "I was a poor young girl when I was approached by a rich older man. He said he'd give me the world, told me how he'd care for me and save me from the slums, where I lived." Julia's face glowed brightly with the fond memories, although her expression slowly shifted to something darker, as she continued. "I believed him and followed him, I was blessed with riches and goods beyond my wildest imagination. Although, I fell pregnant that month with a set of twins. The man wasn't happy with this development, his own father was disapproving of our relationship, so when I gave birth to the twins, a boy and a girl, I was kept in that house as a maid and a nanny to my own children." Her voice hardened with the painful words. "The man raised his son and daughter without a mother. However, both of the children were extremely intelligent, and it didn't take them long to figure out my true identity. The family in which the rich man came from was remarkably powerful, in ways that are both incredibly evil and fantastic - although not the good kind. The little boy was brought up with the intention of taking over the family business, but he was repulsed by the horrendous acts that his father committed. The girl, however, was so enthralled by it and intrigued." Sorrow tainted Julia's words. "The two parted ways and while the boy moved on with his life, the girl continued in her father's footsteps. I followed the boy to this place, and I continued to care for him." Julia's eyes opened then, she fixed her gaze to Grian. The blond felt his chest tighten with the force of her gaze. He watched her avidly, listening intently. "Mumbo is a sensitive man, he wasn't treated well by his father and resents him for that. He is so different from that man, caring and tender. He kept me on as his lead maid and hired three more girls to help around the house. He would never hurt a soul and if he found that he had, he'd never forgive himself for it. Mumbo loves with all his heart, he cares with every fibre of his being. If you find yourself in the centre of his attention, you will get all of it. He devotes himself to everything that he does and that makes him beautiful. Grian, do you understand what I'm saying?"

Grian watched the woman for a moment, his eyes searched over her face. He knew what she was hinting at, although he wasn't sure if he was ready to deal with the information. His brow furrowed with faint anxiety, he nodded silently. "You're his mother." Julia huffed with patient frustration, her eyes narrowed on him, as if she silently admonished him for his stupidity. Grian's cheeks brightened with a blush.

"No, he loves you." Grian's breath hitched at that. His eyes widened slightly as he glanced away from the woman, not knowing how to process the new information. 

"How? He doesn't know me..." He muttered. He could feel Julia's nod and muted understanding.

"He may not know everything about you, Grian, but he knows enough. He doesn't deserve to be hated for this. It isn't his fault. Please try to spare him. I'm not asking you to love him back, I am just asking that you give him a chance." She hummed, her words faltered. Grian glanced to her and saw her eyes were fixed on something behind him. He craned his neck and his eyes fell on the man himself. Mumbo stood in the conservatory's doorway, his brow pinched with interest at the sight of Grian and Julia sat together. His eyes fell to Grian's jumper, and a small smile twisted his lips. 

"You like it then?" He asked, as a way of greeting. Grian glanced down to the garment before grinning and nodding.

"Yes, thank you." He replied. "I tried to look for you earlier, I wanted to thank you then, but I couldn't find you." Mumbo's face twisted with something akin to irritation. He huffed a sigh and shrugged.

"I'm sorry about that, I was in my office dealing with work." He explained, his eyes flicked to Grian's, and he grinned. "I was hoping you might join me at the stables? I was wondering if you'd want to learn to ride the horses?" He asked. Grian glanced to Julia for a moment and the woman nodded, her eyes narrowing, silently repeating her last request. He nodded mutely before his gaze returned to Mumbo. "I'd love that." He nodded. 

* * *

The sun was bright as it shone down on the estate. Grian followed behind Mumbo, his eyes fixed onto the other's back as he followed him. Julia's words flashed through his mind. Mumbo's history and his heritage were still but a mystery, Grian distantly wondered what Mumbo's family business had been and why it was so bad that Mumbo had fled from it. He hadn't heard of any company with the Jumbo name, nothing other than Redstone. Grian's stomach twisted as his mind filled with Julia's last words. He wanted to give the man a chance, wanted to see him as she did, but Grian's hatred to PostPopulate had tainted his view. When he saw Mumbo he struggled to separate the two. He distantly wondered if he could ever see the man without being reminded of the pain that the programme had caused him, without the memories of the mistreatment that they showed him. He sighed sadly and continued to follow. 

A coiling heat surrounded his body, radiating from his skin, and burning his nerves. He glanced up to the sky and frowned. Although the sun was bright and warm, it shouldn't have been so hot out in the gardens. Grian ignored the second wave of rolling heat as he pushed forward to keep up with Mumbo. 

The two came to a stop outside the stables and Mumbo rounded on the shorter man, his eyes focused on him. "You can ride Benji, he's gentle and easy-going, I'll ride Pearl." He told him. Grian nodded silently, distracted by the heat that continued to build under his skin. 

Mumbo pushed the doors to the stable open and instructed Grian to wait outside as he began tacking the horses. Grian leant astride the wooden wall of the stable and clenched his eyes shut against the building warmth that continued to buzz just inches below the surface of his skin. It felt as though his blood was boiling, as if steam was gently billowing from his ears. His clothes felt too tight, his jumper felt too heavy. 

"Ready?" Mumbo asked, pulling Grian from his internal battle. The blond's eyes flicked open, and he gazed dazedly at Mumbo. The man stood with two horses. Benji, the tall black Frazier huffed and scraped its hoof against the ground, his muscles rippled under the glossy black fur, while a white Camarillo stood proud, her head held high. Both horses donned their respective saddles and bridles. Mumbo's brow furrowed. "Are you okay?" Grian hummed in response and nodded.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He muttered, ignoring the heat that continued to burn within him. Mumbo nodded, the puzzlement still alight on his face.

"Are you sure?" He asked. "If you'd rather not ride, then --" Before he could finish his sentence, Grian stepped forward, forcing a smile. 

"No, I want to." He pushed. Mumbo grinned back and nodded.

"Okay."

Grian watched as Mumbo explained how to mount the horse and blushed wildly as Mumbo wrapped an arm around Grian's waist as he effortlessly lifted him up so he could clamber atop Benji's back. The horse remained patiently still, allowing Grian to shuffle into a comfortable position. Once he had settled, he watched as Mumbo smoothly mounted Pearl. The white horse shifted slightly at the added weight and neighed happily. Her head bobbed as she shifted from foot to foot. Mumbo's body swayed with her movement fluidly, as if he and the horse were one and the same. Grian smiled fondly at the sight, impressed with Mumbo's control. He fumbled with the reins, trying to copy how Mumbo held it. The leather strap was held against his palms with his index, middle and ring fingers while emerging from between his index and thumb and his ring and little fingers. Benji huffed happily, and Grian felt the power of the Frazier between his legs. "You ready?" Mumbo asked. Grian glanced up, his eyes wide, and nodded. Mumbo's eyes twinkled with mischief as he and Pearl stepped closer to Grian and Benji. Mumbo reached out and tapped Benji's rear, sending the large horse off in a gallop.

Grian's eyes widened at the sudden speed. He gripped the reins tighter as he screamed, Benji remained steady, not moving too jerkily as to knock Grian off balance, while still maintaining a bullet-like speed. In the distance, the blond could hear the rolling laughter from one Mumbo Jumbo. He glanced behind him and grinned, giggling to himself as he slowly gained control of the horse. Mumbo sped to his side. "Well done, you're a natural." He complimented. Grian couldn't keep the pride he felt at bay as it fluttered through his chest. 

The two continued to play and ride, they galloped across the gardens of the estate. As time gently ticked forward, Grian felt himself gradually learning and developing the skill at riding Benji. He grinned and whooped as they sped across the grass and smiled brightly as they slowed to a bouncing trot. Their riding continued well into the evening, where Mumbo called for them to return to the stables. Grian complied, his muscles tingling with the adrenaline of the ride.

* * *

The bed sheets were soft against his skin. The heat had returned at dinner. Grian had excused himself early and locked himself away in his bedroom, where he lay tossing and turning on the mattress. He felt something wet between his legs and whimpered as the heat burned at a higher level. He needed, he wanted, but for what he hadn't a clue. He moaned once more as his core pulsated. Mumbo. Mumbo. Mumbo. Alpha. Need Alpha!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading.
> 
> It was so nice to hear such kind words and supportive comments from you all, I love writing this story and I'm just so glad that you're all enjoying it too :D
> 
> If you haven't already, please leave kudos and a comment of your thoughts. :D


	11. Bonding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all :D so here is another update. I would like to take a moment to give a quick warning for this upcoming chapter. It does have detailed sexual content. 
> 
> For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the A/B/O universe, when an omega goes into heat, an alpha has a strong reaction to it, called Rut. Although the entire encounter is heat-driven, it is 100% consensual :D There is no non-con in this chapter.
> 
> There are mentions to a male omega in heat, and if you find it a little confusing then I highly suggest looking up the anatomical drawings that fans have created for this AU :D 
> 
> Please don't read if you will be disturbed by this, however, if you do choose to read it, then I hope you enjoy it :D

In the evening's silence, Mumbo's shoes clipped against the hardwood as he walked, the sound of his soles meeting the floor echoed through the undisturbed peace of the house. His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his black slacks and his blazer hung open, exposing his shirt cladded torso. Mumbo stared forward as he walked, his eyes a hazed blur, his memories flashed through his mind. Sights of the beautiful blond galloping across the manor atop Benji was one of his favourite memories that he had stored. Mumbo's lips stretched into a smile as he thought of it, picturing that moment that his breath caught. When Grian glanced back to him, a beaming smile overtaking his usual scowl. Mumbo had seen nothing as beautiful as that image. He was distantly grateful that he was walking through an empty part of the mansion, as he was sure that he was grinning like a madman. He chuckled to himself and felt a little skip in his step. He couldn't tamp down the fluttering in his belly. He'd made Grian smile. It was a wondrous sight to have beheld. Mumbo hadn't realised that his life had been so lacking, had been so empty until he'd seen Grian's unabashed glee and his life was suddenly filled. 

The echoing tinkling of Grian's giggles and cackling laughter, it had been a thousand symphonies, had been better than Beethoven himself. Mumbo was certain that Tchaikovsky could have composed nothing so innocent and pure, that Brahms could have written anything more beautiful. Mumbo wished he could record the sound and play it on a loop in his head, make it his ringtone, make it his life's theme tune. If he got to listen to the blond's laughter once more, he could die a happy man. But what made the sound even better, although it was difficult to find something that could top Grian's adorable giggling, it would have been that he had caused such joyous chuckles. Mumbo grinned to himself, his lips ached at the stretch, he was sure that he hadn't smiled so much in a single day. Maybe Julia was right, maybe he was in love with the other. 

Mumbo's heart faltered as his thoughts strayed to the incident at dinner. Mumbo was certain that their lamb hot pot hadn't been spicy in the lightest, hadn't been too warm. But Grian had been glowing red, his skin shone with a thin sheen of sweat and the man was almost panting by the middle of their meal. Mumbo was distantly worried that he'd caught a fever, that he was ill. It was this worry that drove him forward as he made his way across the house and towards Grian's bedroom. 

He had only visited this part of the mansion twice, the first time was to design the bedroom that his partner from the programme would occupy and the second had been when he'd delivered the gift earlier that day. Mumbo had been so thrilled to see Grian wearing the jumper he'd bought him. He'd been so happy to see that Grian approved of his gift. Mumbo had spent the better part of five hours tracking down the exact shop that had sold the garment, only to find that they had closed down for several years, he'd then had to contact a friend who owed him a favour and cash in on said favour to have the jumper custom made. Mumbo had been so worried and scared that Grian would have found the gift to be in poor taste, especially when the original had meant so much to him. Mumbo had been worried that the blond would have accused him of trying to replace something so dear and sentimental, but he was elated to find that his worries had been for nought and that Grian appeared to love his present.

Mumbo's steps came to a stop as he reached Grian's door. His eyes glared at the wood as his mind raced. His cheeks heated with embarrassment and he suddenly felt his nerve falter. Was this a bad idea? Was it silly to thank the other for a good day? Mumbo huffed with fumbling awkwardness as he recited the words he'd practised in the mirror before setting off on his quest to Grian's room. "Thank you for a nice--" He grunted to himself, shaking his head. 'Nice' barely cut it, what a silly word. He had to convey more feelings. "Thank you for an enjoyable --" He nodded, pride settling in his chest, 'enjoyable' was a better choice. "Day. I do hope that you --" He cut himself off again, blushing brightly at the silly picture he must have painted, stood facing the wall and muttering to himself. Julia or Maria may have had him committed for insanity if they'd found him like that. He smirked to himself before taking a stabilizing breath and mustering all of his courage. He shakily knocked on the door and instantly regretted it. What if Grian didn't want to see him? What if he took one look at him and was irritated to find that Mumbo wasn't respecting his space? Before Mumbo could bolt however and flee to the safety of his office, he heard shuffling from the other side of the door. His eyes widened with anxiety as Grian pulled the door open a slither, his bright blue eye poked from inside. It was now or never.

"Good evening. I wanted to thank you for such an enjoyable day and I was worried about how you left so suddenly at dinner and I wanted to check on you and I was worried and I hope you're okay." He clenched his eyes shut, scolding himself for his horrendous grammar. He was a fool! An inarticulate wart! Goodness gracious, how had he ever achieved a decent grade in English Language? Silence. Mumbo's brow furrowed. His eyes were still determinedly closed, afraid of what he might see. Grian hadn't responded, he hadn't replied to him. Had he shut the door on him, ignored him? Mumbo peeked open his left eye and peered at the other. He was still stood there. Grian had opened the door a fraction more and Mumbo could see the man more clearly. He stood dressed in nothing but his boxers. Sun-kissed skin stretched seamlessly across his body, short blond hairs littered across his legs, his underwear hung close to his body, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. The hard panels of his stomach were smooth and toned, his chest wasn't as broad as Mumbo's but it was still thick, soft downy hair spanned across his chest and spread across his stomach until it tapered off in a little trail down to the waistband of the black boxers. Mumbo's breath hitched. His eyes widened, and he felt a heated blush flush across his cheeks. "I--" Before he could finish that sentence, his mind clicked. It was like someone had flicked a switch within his brain. A sickly sweet smell emanated from the other. A cloud of pleasure filled Mumbo's nose and drew him closer, pulled him in, caught his attention and held it there. His vision darkened as it focused with pinpoint accuracy on the other. His mouth watered. He felt and needed. His skin itched, and his groin ached. He wanted to feel, to taste, to touch. He wanted to protect him. Felt a deep desire to lock the omega away, shield him from prying eyes. His. His. His.

"... Alpha..." Grian's usually soft voice was rough and travelled, wrecked from moaning. His hair was mussed, and his face twisted with want. He reached for Mumbo and grasped a handful of his red tie. With a sharp tug, he'd pulled the taller man inside and slammed the door shut behind him. "... Need... You..." He whimpered as he pressed his almost naked body up close to Mumbo's clothed one. The moustached man's hands acted without thought. His palms settled on the smaller man's hips and tugged him impossibly closer. He delved his face into the crook of the other's neck and smelled. He breathed that scent deep and felt his mind short circuit with the pleasure of it. He hadn't realised he was moaning until he came back to himself. Mumbo's eyes widened, and he pushed away. Jerking suddenly as he realised what he was doing. 

"G-Grian?" He asked with uncertainty. "I think you've gone into heat." He gasped, but the other was so far gone he could barely listen to Mumbo's shocked words. The blond chuckled and nodded, stepping forward. Mumbo stepped back. "I don't think you're in your right mind, I... Grian stop!" He shouted, his voice suddenly commanding as he took hold of Grian's searching hands in his own and held him in place. Mumbo stared into the other's eyes and nodded when he was certain he had his attention. "I will not do anything until I know that this is what you want." He told him. Grian's brow twitched as it furrowed slightly, his head drooped to the side as he whimpered, a new wave of pain flooded through him. 

"M-Mumbo... I need this..." He whimpered. "You're a p-pompous prick... B-But you're the o--" He whined and shuddered as his body fluttered with need. He grimaced before continuing. "You're the o-only one who c-can help." He gasped. Mumbo continued to hold him still, continued to glance between the other's eyes. A sense of fear and anxiety flooded his chest, pushing away his impending rut. He knew it was coming, knew the feelings were building, but he had to hold it off, had to restrain it, until he knew that Grian wanted this. He had to control himself until he was certain that even if the heat hadn't happened, that Grian would still want him in this way. They stayed like that for minutes, all the while Grian keened and whined, wriggling in place as his wetness grew and his body thrummed with painful pleasure. The blond lost patience. His eyes turned stony. He glared at the other. "I-If you do not fill me with your cock right now, I swear to God that I will kill you myself!" He shrieked. 

That did it. Mumbo's stellar control faltered. His eyes narrowed, and his pupils dilated, swallowing the emerald green of his irises. His nostrils flared, and he crowded closer to the smaller man, using every inch to his advantage as he towered over the other. "Come here, my omega." He growled. Grian's eyes rolled and his knees buckled from below him as he moaned at the commanding voice. He nodded and let himself fall into Mumbo's strong hands. The raven-haired man lifted the other as if he weighed nothing, Grian wrapped his legs around Mumbo's waist and their lips connected in a blistering kiss. Mumbo stepped towards the bed blindly, still holding the other close. Where their skin met, there were sparks. Mumbo flung the other to the bed and Grian whimpered, writhing and arching his back with need. Mumbo hooked his fingers around the waistband of the other's underwear and gently tugged, pulling the garment down those smooth tanned legs. He almost howled at the sudden smell that came with it. He panted, needing. Mumbo pushed Grian's legs apart, his hands holding the other's knees, as he drove his face closer to the source of that smell. He needed more, needed to taste it, to feel it. He needed his omega. 

Mumbo pressed his face between Grian's legs and grinned when his lips brushed against the slick that had dripped from his hole. "So wet for me, good omega." He praised. Grian keened as his hands tangled in Mumbo's hair, messing the neatly gelled strands until the raven hair was but a nest atop Mumbo's head. He flicked his tongue over the rim of the pulsing hole, and Grian moaned beautifully. He continued to taste the sweetness that he'd found there, savouring it as if it was a treat from the Gods themselves. Grian shuddered at the feel of that imploring tongue, as he felt Mumbo lick at him, lap away the wetness he found between his legs. 

"Yes! My alpha!" Grian whimpered brokenly, his body ached with the emptiness. He loved the feel of Mumbo's tongue where it was, but he needed more. He needed a specific part of the other man. He wanted it. Ached for it. He begged. He cried. He howled. Mumbo grinned at the sound of his desperate lover. He tortured him just a little more, pressing a kiss to the slick opening he had discovered. He hummed and then pulled away.

If there was anything worse than not having Mumbo's cock, then it was not having any part of him at all. Grian whimpered in delightful agony. His eyes opened a fraction as he searched for his lover, for his mate. He needed him. How could he betray him and leave him in such a vulnerable state? His body sang when he felt the soft touch of Mumbo's hand on his thigh once more. His alpha was amazing, trustworthy, dependable. Of course, he hadn't left him! Grian whined and keened like a siren when he felt Mumbo's bare skin against his own. He hummed with delight as Mumbo climbed up his body to connect their mouths. He could taste himself on Mumbo's tongue, and he loved it. His blush darkened on his cheeks as he whimpered, shuddering. "P-Please." He begged into his alpha's open mouth. Mumbo nodded silently and shushed him, stroking a hand down Grian's side, soothing him. 

"It's okay, I'm here, I'll give you what you need." He told him as he lined himself up. "Are you ready, my love?" He asked. Grian had been ready hours ago. He whimpered and nodded. He was desperate with want, aching need flashed through him and if Mumbo didn't mount him now, then he was sure he would die. 

Mumbo grinned at the sight of the man before him. Such a beautiful picture painted just for him. Desperate and needy, stretched across the bed. Presenting just for him. Oh, did he love this. He relished in this sight, savoured it and committed it to memory. He glanced down to where his body almost connected to Grian's and he braced himself, took his cock in hand and slowly slipped inside. The wetness made the movement fluid and smooth as his skin glided against Grian's. He whimpered in his own pleasured agony as he bottomed out. He fell atop the other and pressed his mouth to Grian's hungrily taking him. Kissing him. Their lips moved against one another as their tongues danced. A battle for dominance that was as old as time itself. Mumbo won, of course, and with that, he slowly pulled out. Grian tugged his face away as he gasped for breath. His brows were fixed high on his head as he whimpered at the sudden friction. It was glorious and beautiful, but he wanted more. Needed more. His eyes fixed to Mumbo's. "P-Please." He begged. "Take me." He whimpered the words. 

Mumbo moaned with delight as he nodded shakily. He would give his omega what he needed, he would help his lover, sate his mate. He began moving faster, rougher. His hips thrust back and forth at a punishing pace. Grian keened and whined in a high-pitched moan. Mumbo silenced him with his mouth as they kissed. Their movements fluid, with each thrust from Mumbo, Grian rolled his own hips to meet him. The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room, joined by their moans and whimpers as they made love. Mumbo could feel his release building. Hot tightness built at the base of his prick as he felt something begin to swell. His eyes widened, and he growled menacingly as a pleasure, unlike anything he had ever felt, washed through him. He pushed forward one last time and drove his knot home. His teeth connected to the junction on Grian's neck, latching onto the skin where his neck connected to shoulder. His teeth punctured the skin and Grian whined and moaned as the bond formed. A haze of ecstasy washed through them. They were no longer single beings roaming the planet but were now a bonded pair. 

They stayed like that, locked together, slumber claimed Grian quickly as he settled against Mumbo, letting his body mould to the other's. Mumbo smiled at his lover as he licked their bond bite clean. Neither cared for what this meant, neither wanted to think of how this would affect their lives. All they could do was let this moment consume them. Bask in the togetherness that they felt as their bond was formed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your unwavering support for this story :D It's amazing to see and receive such awesome comments from all of you who are enjoying it :D
> 
> If you do enjoy this story, please consider leaving kudos and leaving a comment for me. It's so nice to be able to read through what you all thought, even if you feel that I could have done something better :D 
> 
> Thank you all! I'll see you in the next update!!


	12. Unexpected Development

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! So this is a slightly shorter chapter than usual and I'm sorry about that, but hopefully, you'll be thankful for what is about to come :D I'm excited :D

The light trickled through the windows and bathed the room with a soft golden glow. Mumbo huffed and snuggled further into the soft pillows atop the bed, his eyes clenched against the bright morning sun. He whimpered as he was dragged to wakefulness. He rubbed a hand across his face before he peered through his lashes and glanced about the room. For a moment, he hadn't a clue where he was. Anxiety pooled in his belly and coiled around him as fear swelled through his chest. His eyes flicked from the walls to the floor. This was Grian's room. Memories flashed through Mumbo's mind as he remembered pleasured gasps, whimpering pleas and a bite. He pushed himself from the bed and stepped back, his face flushed with heat at the thought of what had happened the night prior. His eyes scanned the room, his clothes were strewn across the floor, the bed itself was a mess, the sheets all skewed and in the centre of the mattress was a small bloodstain. Mumbo's throat constricted as his face paled. He was alone, apart from himself the room was empty. 

Mumbo scrambled to collect his clothes from the floor. He dressed haphazardly and brushed his hair into place with his fingers before he pushed through the door and staggered out into the corridor. Images from what had happened flashed through his mind. He remembered walking to Grian's room intending to thank him for the day and to check on him as he had seemed to be ill. When Grian had answered the door, Mumbo's eyes widened. The man had begged, had pleaded. But Mumbo couldn't remember for what Grian had been so desperate for. Hot skin and screaming voices filled his mind as he tried to delve further into memory. Bile rose in his throat as he thought of what he'd done. Had it been consensual? Had Grian asked for that to happen? Or had he been begging for Mumbo to stop? The uncertainty plagues the other man as he stumbled through the mansion and to his own bedroom. 

Was Mumbo a monster? Had he preyed on an ill man and took what never belonged to him in the first place? Had he destroyed what little trust he had earned from Grian? The uncertainty of the night plagued Mumbo's mind as he pushed through his bedroom door and divulged himself of his clothes, stepping into the bathroom and flicking on the shower. Steam filled the room and Mumbo moaned with relief as he stepped under the hot stream. Grian had fled the room before Mumbo had awoken. Were his actions motivated from fear of what Mumbo was capable of? Or had he been plagued by the same confusion as Mumbo?

Sickened with himself, Mumbo tried to push away his fears. He tried to tamp them down. He couldn't assume what had happened was purely his fault until he found Grian. Until he could ascertain what had happened from the only other person who had bore witness to the events. Riddled with guilt, Mumbo flicked the switch to the shower and the stream dripped to a stop. He pulled a towel from the rail and wrapped it around his waist. He couldn't torture himself without having confirmation that he had done anything wrong. The logic of that thought made perfect sense, but applying it was a different matter. Mumbo stepped from the bathroom and to the bedroom. He rubbed the fluffy sheet against his body, wiping away the droplets of cleansing water. Scraping away the last traces of evidence from the night before. 

It started as a thrum, a gentle whisper of pain at the back of Mumbo's mind. He ignored it in favour of drying himself, in favour of distracting himself from the torturous thoughts that plagued his mind. The thrum grew and blossomed into an ache that stretched across Mumbo's forehead. He grit his teeth against it and pressed his fingers to the skin above his eyes. It was wet; he pulled his hand back and gasped at the crimson liquid coating his fingers. He stumbled through to the bathroom, bracing himself against the sink. The waves of agony peeled through his cranium. He peered into the mirror and gasped at what he saw there. Two stumps had pushed through the skin of his forehead. He heard the grizzly sound of skin tearing, the wet pop and creak of bones moving. It was so loud, so painful. Mumbo screamed. His thoughts and guilt of the night before were forgotten in favour of staving off the white-hot stabbing that flashed across his head.

Mumbo's vision blurred in the agony, blood trickled into his eyes. He tried to push it away, tried to wipe it with his hands, but his movements were uncoordinated. He whimpered and growled with the pain as he stumbled, his legs gave way from beneath him, crumpling under the pain that thrummed through his nerves. Mumbo stared at himself in the mirror as he watched twin bony horns slowly push themselves through the skin on his head, growing and twisting a foot in the air. He screamed a final time before he collapsed. His vision whiting out and finally fading to a dull, painless darkness. 

Maria walked cautiously to Mumbo's room, she had been told by Julia to find him because they had received a telephone call from the PostPopulate programme, two medical officers were on their way, and Maria had been tasked with finding and telling Mumbo. She had already stopped at his office and hadn't found him there. Neither Mumbo nor Grian had shown themselves at breakfast that morning, and none of the staff had glimpsed the raven-haired man. She padded slowly to his bedroom and rapped her knuckles against the door. She received no reply. She knocked again. After the third knock, Maria depressed the handle and let herself inside. The master bedroom was the same as it always had been, although a bath towel lay strewn across the floor. She stepped cautiously further inside. "Sir?" She called out, but received nothing but blistering silence. Anxiety pooled in Maria's belly as she continued further in the room, her eyes fixed on the towel. "Sir?" She tried again. 

A soft moan emanated from the bathroom, echoing around its walls. Maria stepped tentatively towards the closed door and knocked on the wood softly. "Sir?" She asked again and received nothing but silence. Maria pressed her ear to the door and as she did so, it swung open, revealing a very naked Mumbo Jumbo sprawled on the floor. His skin had torn on his forehead to make way for a pair of large thick bony horns that stretched from his head. Her eyes widened with fright as she screamed. "Julia!" 

* * *

Fear curdled in Grian's belly. He had locked himself in a spare room. After having awoken next to Mumbo, he couldn't keep the smile from his face as he had watched the man sleep so peacefully beside him. The night had been strange, but equally wonderful. As soon as his alpha had come to him, he'd saved him, taken away the heat-induced torture. He had kissed him and soothed him and Grian happily laid against the headboard as he allowed his mind to flow wistfully through the memories. It was then that he had felt it. Pain flashed through his back. It felt as though his bones were breaking and his skin was stretching in ways it was never meant to.

He twisted and writhed, pulling away from the bed and stumbling towards a mirror. He contorted his torso around to peer at his back and gasped at the sight that greeted him. Two large lumps had formed beside his shoulder blades. Grian dashed from the room, hastily dressing in yesterday's clothes, he had fled from beside Mumbo. He had explored enough of the mansion to know that there was a bedroom with a larger mirror than the one that decorated his own room. He pushed through the door and stumbled into the bathroom, immediately throwing his red sweater from his body. He twisted around to watch in horror as two appendages slowly grew, sprouting from his back. What was happening to him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I certainly did writing it :D
> 
> I wanted to thank everyone who's commented so far, it's so nice to receive such supportive words and to hear that everyone is enjoying the story so far :D so we have a new development with this chapter :D I wonder what will happen next ^.^
> 
> If you guys enjoyed it, please let me know in the comments and if you haven't already, please leave kudos :D


	13. Revelations & Presentations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, I am treating you all with a 4,000 word update :D I hope you enjoy it, there is a lot of information in this chapter, so prepare yourselves :D

"Are you okay? Do you need anything?" Julia's soft voice was the only sound in the room, beside Mumbo's breathing. He sighed and leant further back against his headboard. He flicked his eyes to her, only to find the very thing he was afraid of. Her eyes continued to glance from him to the things that were protruding from his head. He held back his irritation. She was trying to help him, although her repeated silent acknowledgements of the very things that were the reason for him laying in bed sent Mumbo's stomach into knots.

"I'm fine, thank you." He huffed back, the annoyance obvious in his voice. "Have you found Grian, yet?" He asked her. At his question, Julia's eyes fell to the ground, focusing on one specific inconsistency in the carpet. She shuffled on the spot before glancing back to him and shook her head. Mumbo's eyes narrowed as his brow furrowed. 

"Did he leave the estate?" Mumbo asked, his voice hard, leaving no room for arguments. Julia flinched at the stern tones. Her eyes widened slightly before she shook her head. 

"No. Jackie and Maria had set out the breakfast table but neither of you came down, we assumed that you two were still..." As she spoke, a soft pink tinge coloured her cheeks, she glanced away. The thought of her son having sex was something that she hadn't prepared herself for. What was worse than acknowledging the fact that her son was a sexual being, was the fact that she had heard the intimate sounds of the two that night. She blushed brighter before glancing to her son. Mumbo's eyes widened at the meaning of her words, his face flooded with a deep shade of puce. 

"Oh..." He muttered, his mind reeling. Julia had cared for him for as long as he could remember. The woman had been his and Willow's nanny from their birth and as far as Mumbo was concerned, she may as well had been his mother. He loved her as one and respected her as one. He shook his head, dismissing his embarrassment in favour of the worry that constricted his heart. "We need to find him." He muttered and shifted under the covers, pushing himself to the edge of the bed, wincing at the excess weight that hung from his head. Julia surged forward, her eyes wide and pleading.

"Don't move." She ordered, her eyes focusing on Mumbo's. "Please, sir. You're still not recovered from the..." Her words trailed off as her eyes flicked up to his horns. Something in her face shifted before she reconnected their gaze. "You've not recovered from passing out earlier. Please, let us find him. Maria, Jackie and Eliza are searching for him. It won't be long before they find him. There's no need for you to get up." She told him. 

Mumbo watched the woman. His mind flashed with images of Grian, their last encounter and the guilt that he felt washed through him. He clenched his eyes shut and grit his teeth. He wanted to help search. He didn't care what happened to him. He couldn't stand the idea of Grian locking himself away, scared and alone. He wanted to be there. Wanted to save him. Protect him. He flicked his eyes back to Julia and shook his head. "You said that you have known me the longest." He muttered. Julia nodded at the statement.

"Yeah?" She asked, her brow furrowed with confusion. "But what does that matter?"

"I need to find him. I know you understand." He urged, his eyes pleaded with her, silently begging to be freed from the confines of his bedroom. Julia's jaw clenched as her eyes hardened. She desperately wanted to lock Mumbo away, keep him safe. She sighed with defeat. Her eyes fell back to the floor. He was a grown man, now. He wasn't the baby boy who she'd raised all those years ago. He was an adult, an individual with opinions and needs. She knew what she had to do, and although she didn't like it, she knew it was the right thing to do. She nodded and glanced back to him. 

"I know." She muttered, her hand came up to cup Mumbo's face. She stroked her thumb across his cheekbone as her eyes flicked between both of his. "Promise me that if you begin to feel unwell, you'll come straight back to bed?" She asked. Mumbo smiled softly and plucked her hand away from his face, bringing it to his lips. He kissed her knuckles in thanks and nodded his head, although he instantly regretted it, as his heavy horns strained against his still tender skin. He winced slightly before smiling at the woman. 

"I promise." He told her. 

* * *

Grian whimpered as he braced himself against the bathroom sink, his eyes fixed on the image that the mirror presented. His chest heaved and with each breath, the wings that had sprouted from his back flexed. The feathers were stubby and short, still growing. The extra weight on his back felt distinctly uncomfortable, although bearable. He winced and watched a tear cascade down his cheek. His eyes followed the salty droplet as it slowly trickled from his eye and slipped over his face and then fell from his chin to join the puddle of tears that had formed on the countertop. 

Finally, he felt that he had something tangible, something he could work with. He had hated Mumbo, had detested him and blamed him for what PostPopulate had put him through. Mumbo was the face of all the rich bastards who had treated the people that lived in the slums, like animals, like they were worth nothing. He grit his teeth as he glared at the white wings that stood proudly behind him. But when his heat had started, Grian was scared, frightened of what his body was doing, afraid that it may have been his last night on Earth. But Mumbo had saved him, he had been so tender and sweet, had cared enough to come to him. Mumbo had stood by Grian when the blond had needed him the most, and that was something that he had never experienced before. His sister had been the only one he had trusted, she had been his only source of light in a sea of darkness and when PostPopulate had taken her away, he'd blamed Mumbo. 

When Grian had been cast back into his world of suffering, the night that his heat had started, he thought it could have been the end to him. He was certain that he would have been forced to brave the agony alone. That was until Mumbo saved him, the very man who he'd blamed for such atrocities, as stealing his sister away, was the same man who had come to him, was the same man who'd shown him kindness and dare he say it? Love?

But how could he face the man when he looked so hideous? How could he expect Mumbo to stand beside him and continue this affair when Grian was a monster? Grian was alone again. Scared and frightened. Another good thing stripped from his life. He glared at the wings that stood tall from his back. He watched as the feathers continued to bloom like petals on a flower. He hated them. Hated what they had taken away. He couldn't understand why he was tormented so, why he was given something good to only have it stolen moments later.

* * *

Mumbo pushed through the agony that pulsed through his skull. He forced himself to ignore the pain that swamped him as his horns weighted down his forehead. He marched through the corridor, glancing from room to room. His heart clenched in his chest, and his stomach coiled tightly with anxiety and fear. He continued to walk, his eyes scanning his surroundings for --

He paused. His legs locked in place, and his feet stuck to the floor. His eyes slipped closed as he inhaled. That smell. He knew it. He sniffed again, thrusting his nose into the air. The sweet comforting smell. Grian. His eyes flicked open and focused on the space in front of him. He followed the scent, followed the trail as it led him to a spare room. The scent thickened, pure and sweet. Grian was here. He was nearby and the thrill of that thought sent shock waves of relief through Mumbo's body. His heart sang as he pushed open the door. "Gri?" He called out, he heard a movement further in the room, he stepped through the door and glanced about. The door to the bathroom remained shut and locked. His lips twitched in triumph as he crowded close to the door. "Grian." He gasped, trying to reach the man inside with his voice. 

"M-Mumbo?" Grian's soft voice flickered out from inside, the sound of it washed through Mumbo, cleansing the worry that had once consumed him. He grinned brightly and tried the handle, only to pout with frustration when the door didn't budge. "Mumbo, go away." Grian whimpered. Mumbo's eyes narrowed at the sound. He shook his head and winced when a horn collided with the wood of the door and sent aching vibrations through his head. He cursed them and lifted his head away, pushing from the door.

"Grian, please, let me in." He begged, his voice broken. "I'm sorry for what I did to you, I didn't mean to do it. I swear to God, Grian. I don't remember what happened, but if I hurt you, I am so sorry." Mumbo rambled, tears pricking his eyes. He choked on a sob as he prepared to continue speaking, although he was interrupted by the sound of the door unlatching. Mumbo stepped back, his eyes wide as Grian peered through the crack. His blue eye connected with Mumbo's and for a moment, the moustached man was certain that everything was right with the world, that even if his entire life came crashing around him, so long as he could glimpse at those crystal eyes, he would survive anything. 

Grian's brow furrowed as he stared at Mumbo. "What on earth are you talking about?" Grian asked, confusion obvious in his voice. Mumbo's brow furrowed. He glanced to the floor. 

"Your heat, I think I... God, Grian please forgive me."

Grian's eye focused on the man before him, before it widened with shock. Mumbo seemed the same as he always had, except now he had twin horns curling up from his head. The bony structures protruded from identical punctures in Mumbo's forehead, the skin split around them. Where it was torn, the flesh was red and sore. The horns themselves curved up and round, their surface appeared rough and ridged. The horns were black with faint highlights of dark purple flicking through the bony spikes. "Oh my... Mumbo, what happened?" Grian gasped. 

At the sound of Grian's shocked words, Mumbo's eyes flicked up to the structures atop his head. He blushed and glanced away. "I know, they're --" Before he could finish his depreciating words, Grian interrupted. 

"Gorgeous." Mumbo's eyes widened at that before they narrowed on the smaller man.

"I'm sorry?" He asked. Grian shook his head and stepped from behind the door. Mumbo's eyes focused on the wings that followed him out, the muscles twitched with each of Grian's steps, the protrusions were covered in a thick lining of pure white feathers. A pile of blood-soaked feathers fluttered around him as he stepped, the previously malted fluff floated as they were disturbed by Grian's movements. "Grian, you've..."

"I know." The blond sighed. He glanced behind himself and shrugged. "They grew not long after I woke up. I ran away because I didn't want to wake you, I was screaming because it hurt so bad." Mumbo stepped forward and reached out, he glanced to Grian for permission and when the blond nodded, he reached forward and gently ran his hand across a wing. Grian hissed with the sensitivity of them and shuddered. 

"So, you didn't run away because I..." Grian's eyes watched Mumbo, his brow lifted with confusion. 

"Because you what?" He asked. Mumbo pulled his hand away and glared to the floor.

"Took advantage of you?" At Mumbo's explanation, Grian couldn't keep the snort of laughter from escaping. Mumbo's head shot up and he winced at the tug of his horns on his head. His eyes narrowed as he watched the smaller man chortle with barely contained laughter. 

"Mumbo, you didn't take advantage of me." He muttered finally, his hand reaching up to cup Mumbo's cheek. The man leant into the warm touch. "My heat started, and you saved me, you helped me. I should be thanking you." Mumbo blushed and averted his gaze, but as Grian's hand moved to clasp the man's chin between his forefinger and thumb, he gently pulled Mumbo's gaze to him. "I don't know what any of this means, but I can say for certain you've done nothing wrong." He muttered just above a whisper. Mumbo watched Grian carefully, his eyes focused on the other man. Grian smiled softly to him before he pushed up onto his toes and pressed his lips to Mumbo's. The raven-haired man gasped against the other's lips before he sank into the touch, his arms wound around Grian's waist as he let kissed him back.

"Sir? -- Oh my god!" Jackie's scream interrupted the two and Mumbo pulled away to glanced at the woman, his eyes narrowed on her. Jackie's face paled as she watched the two. "I... I came to tell you that the PostPopulate medical team are here." She whimpered, her eyes flicking between the two, focusing on wings and horns. 

* * *

Mumbo's hand curled tightly around the smaller fingers. He glanced to where his and Grian's bodies had connected and grinned. The two had left the spare room to change into respectable clothes before descending the stairs. Grian donned one of Mumbo's shirts, holes cut into it to allow his wings free, while Mumbo wore his usual black suit and red tie. They stepped through the foyer and towards the sitting room. Together, their steps were in sync. 

Sat on a sofa, side by side, were the medical assistants from before. Tango and Impulse. Mumbo's eyes narrowed on them. He tugged Grian back and stepped in front of him, shielding the omega from the threat that the two posed. His eyes lit with fiery rage as he glared at the men. Tango lept from his seat, his eyes fixed on Mumbo's horns and Grian's wings. He stuttered and stammered while pointing. Impulse glared at his colleague before he followed the direction in which Tango had gestured and his eyes fell on the two who had just entered the room. His face paled. 

"What are you doing here?" Mumbo growled, his brows tightened with barely concealed anger. "You are not welcome here!" He shouted at them. Grian watched his alpha, his eyes wide and his wings pulled down to surround his body, encasing himself in their fluffy protection. 

"W-We came to --" Mumbo surged forward as Impulse tried to explain their actions, but before the man could finish his sentence, Mumbo had moved to stand before him, his eyes fixed on the other. Grian watched the exchange from his place at the edge of the room, in the doorway, his eyes were wide as his gaze flicked from the medical officers and to his alpha. That was when Grian noticed it. Mumbo's body shook with the force of his anger, and as he did so, the purple that flecked through his horns glowed. As the purple grew with brightness, the surrounding room darkened. It was as if someone was sucking the warmth and light from the world and injecting a darkness into it. Grian whimpered, his fear bubbling in his chest. 'Please, God, don't hurt me!' the panicked thought flashed through the blond's mind. A second wave of fear blazed through Grian, but this feeling was foreign and not his own, it was as if it had been superimposed into his heart. He frowned with curiosity as he focused on the feeling. He understood it, knew it. He felt it too. The secondary emotion that thrummed through him was not his own but was Impulse's. He frowned and mentally jabbed at it, merging his own fear into Impulse's. The man in question shook, his trembling increased and his eyes widened. "Oh my god! Oh my god!" He screamed as his panic increased. 

Tango glanced to his partner. His eyes flicked from Impulse to Mumbo, and then finally settled to Grian. "Impulse. Calm down." He muttered warningly. His colleague paused in his panic before he glanced back to Tango. The taller blond nodded, his eyes still alight with the warning. "It's happened." He muttered. Mumbo's horns dulled at the sound of Tango's words, the energy that had thrummed through them slipped away as the purple flecks in the horns lost their light. As they darkened, the light of the room returned. He stared at the second medical assistant, his green eyes focused on Tango. 

"What's happened?" He spat the question. Impulse glanced between the alpha and omega, his eyes fixed on the bond bite that marred Grian's neck, and nodded in agreement with his colleague. He pushed from the sofa and moved to stand beside Tango. 

"You've bonded." Tango muttered. Mumbo's eyes flicked between the two before he glanced back to Grian. The omega stood still, crowding himself tighter with his wings. Mumbo's teeth grit together as he snarled with frustration. His head whipped back to the two medical officers.

"Explain." He ordered. Impulse glanced to his partner before his eyes settled back to Mumbo, and he cleared his throat nervously. 

"The ome--" Mumbo's eyes flashed dangerously, the light in the room flickered and Impulse corrected himself quickly. "Grian has obviously gone through his first heat cycle. The two of you are now a bonded pair, that was all that was supposed to happen, it means that you have successfully marked Grian as your own and the two of you are mated."

"What do you mean 'that was all that was supposed to happen'?" Mumbo repeated Impulses sentence back to him, as anxiety fluttered through his chest. "What's gone wrong?" At his question, Tango shook his head and interrupted Impulse before he could reply. 

"It was a theory that one of the scientists had. It seemed so silly, and we all thought it was impossible."

"What was impossible?" Mumbo growled.

"That two test subjects that bonded would go through a change, he called it the 'Genealogical Advancement' It's a theory that in order for the human body to accept its new status, as alpha or omega, it has to replicate the genes that were implanted. We compared the presentation of either alpha or omega to dogs. How you find that an alpha wolf would impregnate a member of the pack. That was the running theory behind PostPopulate. Except, we couldn't just transplant one set of genes from a canine to a human. There wasn't enough data for the human body to work with, it would have been excreted through the cell before any physiological change could happen. We had to delay the natural excretion process, so we harvested markers from other animals to complicate the biological data and make it harder for the body to rid itself of the new genes, but the DNA that we could create had missing pieces, gaps where the genes didn't line up, we had to fill the gaps in the new strand of DNA with synthetic proteins. Grian and yourself have gone through irreversible changes because of the bonding process. The new DNA in your system has activated completely and you now have the obvious markers of the secondary animals and the advancements of the synthetic proteins." Tango explained, his eyes wide with wonder and curiosity as he stared at the two men before him. Grian stepped forward from his place at the mouth of the room, his brow furrowed with confusion as his mind blurred with the complexities that Tango's words held.

"So, to put it simply, I have wings, so you gave me genes from a bird or something?" Tango nodded at that. Grian glanced to his alpha. "And Mumbo had genes from a goat-like thing? But the abilities that we both have are, what? Accidental powers? From a synthetic protein that you all cooked in a lab? A protein that none of you fully understand?" He asked, his anger flaring in his chest. Tango nodded in agreement.

"Yes. I think --" Before Tango could finish his sentence, a strange beeping sounded from Impulse's pocket. The four men glanced to where the sound emanated from.

"What's that?" Mumbo asked, his brows furrowed. Impulse's eyes widened as his face paled. He pulled a small device from his suit pocket and stared at it. Tango leant towards him and his mouth fell agape. His eyes flicked from the machine and then to Grian. Mumbo stared at the two before following their gazes. He watched Grian carefully before his eyes fell back to the two men.

"Oh god..." Impulse gasped, his words quiet with awe.

"What?" Mumbo growled, his patience running thin.

"Grian is pregnant." 

Mumbo blanched. "Pregnant?" He repeated, his head spun with all the information that had been thrown at him. He clenched his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. "How is he pregnant? He had his heat less than a day ago, how can you tell that he's pregnant?" He growled. 

"The gestation period has been accelerated. We need to bring him back to the lab to do some tests. We have to--" Mumbo surged forward and grasped at the two men. He held Impulse and Tango roughly by their clothes as he dragged them from his house.

"You're not taking him anywhere. The two of you are leaving." He hissed as he pulled them through the foyer. Impulse and Tango grunted with the force of the man. Their feet stumbled to keep up as they were hurled from the front door. They staggered and lost their balance, falling onto the gravel, outside. Impulse glanced up and glared at Mumbo, but before he could speak, the moustached man had slammed the door shut.

Grian stepped towards the other, his eyes wide with worry. "Mumbo, they will come back. They're going to... Oh God, Mumbo, PostPopulate have my family. They said that if I don't comply with them... Oh god, my sister!" Grian rambled, tears pricking his eyes. Mumbo watched Grian carefully before he pulled the frantic man into his chest. He shushed him softly as he stroked his hand through Grian's hair. At the soothing touch of his alpha, Grian whimpered and calmed. His eyes slipped closed as he buried his face in Mumbo's chest. "I..." 

"It's okay, Grian, we'll be okay. I promise. They won't hurt your family. I'll make sure of it. But we need to prepare ourselves." He told the other. "We can guarantee that they'll be back, if they're right about you being pregnant, they will come with reinforcements. We have to be ready for them." He muttered. Grian nodded and sniffled, his eyes flicked up to Mumbo's, he scrubbed a hand over his face wiping away his tears.

"What are we going to do?" He asked, his voice filled with the worry and fear that permeated through his body. Mumbo huffed and glared to the floor.

"I have connections," Mumbo muttered, his hand plucked his phone from his pocket as he shot a quick text to Julia, within moments the woman descended the stairs and greeted the two, her eyes flicked from one to the other.

"What do you need, sir?"

"I need you to call Iskall and then..." He clenched his jaw before he sighed, his nostrils flaring with his irritation. "We need to call Willow."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you all made it in one piece :D 
> 
> So, Grian is a winged empath and Mumbo is a horned controller of darkness :D I loved writing it so much :D
> 
> Also, if you enjoyed this chapter, please leave me a comment of what you thought and if really loved it then please consider leaving kudos, if you haven't already :D
> 
> Thank you so much for all the support that you've shown for this story, so far :D


	14. Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! So I present to you a 4,700-word update :D That is honestly the longest chapter that I've ever written... I cannot believe it, I am now exhausted... I hope you all enjoy it :D

From outside the front door, the two men could still hear Impulse and Tango skulking around the premises. The sound of gravel being crushed under their feet as they stepped was the war drum that Mumbo needed. He fished in his jacket pocket and plucked his smartphone from where it sat; he tapped his fingers against the screen before he pressed the device to his ear. Mumbo's green eyes clenched shut as he gave a heaving sigh. When they opened they fell on Grian. "You need to go upstairs and pack, any clothes you can fit, toiletries, we won't be coming back anytime soon." Grian's body froze at the instruction, his brows twitched high on his forehead.

"Mumbo, they said I'm pregnant..." He almost whimpered. "I don't know if I'm ready for this..." He wheezed, his hands moving to cradle his head. Mumbo's eyes narrowed on him before they softened. With the phone still pressed to his ear, he pulled Grian close to himself and pressed a soft kiss to the side of the other's head.

"I know, but it's our reality now, just as these are." He gestured to the horns and wings. "We are the products of PostPopulate, but that doesn't mean that they own us, and it certainly doesn't mean that they get to drag you into their labs like a rat. We have to get you and..." He glanced down to Grian's stomach. "Our child, safe." He told him. Grian opened his mouth to speak, but just as he did, whoever Mumbo had dialled on the phone answered. He froze at the female tones that slinked through the phone's speaker. It sounded menacing, almost cruel. 

"Hello, brother. I didn't expect a call from you today? Is the cushy life getting to you?" Willow asked, Mumbo could practically hear the smug and overbearing smile that curled against her lips. Mumbo's jaw clenched as he held the phone impossibly tighter.

"I need a favour." He asked, ignoring her questions. Willow fell silent for a moment, and Mumbo could hardly keep the triumphant feeling from his chest. It was not a small feat to make Willow speechless, and despite the circumstances, Mumbo couldn't keep the pride from spreading through his body.

"A favour? I'm not the giving type, you know that." She muttered, Mumbo heard that she had sat down, her feet were probably resting against the desk, while she fiddled with something, a distant and cruel smile playing on her lips.

"I am well aware of that, I am not asking for a cute family hand out." He hissed, his chest tightening with frustration. He let his eyes fall closed as he gave a calming sigh, allowing the tightness to dissipate from his muscles. "I want to cash in on what you owe me." He finally said. Willow remained silent for a moment and Mumbo heard the leather chair creak as she sat forward.

"Think carefully, Mumbo. You can't take this back." She hummed. 

"Maybe not, but I have no other choice." He sighed. 

"What is it?"

Mumbo glanced down to Grian, his brows furrowed as he watched the other man. A small smile stretched across his face at the sight of the beauty that he found in him. The blond curls seemed more of a halo with his newly sprouted white wings. Mumbo turned away and held the phone tighter against his ear. "Mr and Mrs Charleston along with their daughter are currently residents of the PostPopulate programme, their son, Grian Charleston is a member of the trial. I need you to pull some strings to get them out and to safety." He muttered. 

"Grian Charleston?" Willow asked, her voice humming. Mumbo felt his chest constrict. He tried to calm himself but could barely keep the edge from entering his voice.

"Can you do it?" He snapped.

"Possibly. Although, I have to ask..." Her voice drawled, a sadistic smile tainted her words. "Why are these people so important to you, brother?" At her question, Mumbo glanced towards Grian once again, his blue eyes were wide and hopeful as he stared at Mumbo. He could hear his silent pleading, the begging was thick in the air. Although Grian hadn't uttered a word, Mumbo knew exactly what he wanted to ask. He sighed and shrugged, knowing that she couldn't see him.

"That's not important, Willow. Can you do it..?" He asked. At her silence, a challenging smirk spread across his lips. "Or, do I have to ask father?" Willow replied almost instantly. 

"No. I can do it. But after I do, my debt is paid, is that clear?" She asked, her words were barbed and sharp, Mumbo knew that he had won their little battle of wills. He knew that he had succeeded and that she would give him what he was asking for. 

"Crystal." Mumbo replied simply before pulling the phone away from his ear and hanging up. He stared at the screen for a moment before he pressed the lock button and slipped it back in his pocket. 

"What did she say?" Grian asked through a held breath. Mumbo remained silent for a moment, he pushed his hands into his pockets and stared at the floor before his eyes flicked up to meet his mate's. 

"Yes, she'll get your family out." Mumbo muttered, his eyes fixed on Grian's. The blond sighed with relief, letting go of the breath he'd been holding. Mumbo grinned at the other and let Grian fall into his arms as he hugged him close. "They're going to be safe." He reassured, pressing his face into Grian's hair. He knew then, that he would travel to any length, walk any distance, just to ensure that Grian was happy, just to give Grian what he needed. He held the omega tighter against him, positioning his hands away from the other's sensitive wings. 

"Sir?" Maria's soft voice cut through their embrace. Mumbo glanced up to her, his eyes hardened and irritated at being dragged away from soothing Grian. Maria floundered for a moment as she blushed at the harsh glare from Mumbo. She faltered and shuffled from foot to foot anxiously. 

"Yes?" He prompted. 

"Iskall is on his way sir, he shouldn't be long." Mumbo nodded and cuddled Grian a little tighter before releasing him. He held Grian at arm's length as he connected their eyes. "I need you to pack now. I'll do the same. Only bring as much as you can carry, but take as much as you can. Meet me back here, in the foyer. Grian nodded at Mumbo's instruction before pulling away and ascending the stairs swiftly. Mumbo watched him go before he stepped forward, approaching Maria. 

"What did he say? Is he coming to the front or the back?" He asked. Maria blushed once more. Her voice caught on her tongue before she gave a soft sigh and replied, her eyes still flicking up to the horns that protruded from Mumbo's head. He couldn't ignore the fear that entered her voice as she watched him, or watched his horns.

"He'd coming to the back, sir." She confirmed, Mumbo flashed her a kind smile and nodded. He stretched a hand out to her and rested it against her shoulder. 

"Thank you, Maria, for everything." He muttered, his eyes softened as he spoke. "But things here are going to get a little messy. I wouldn't be upset or mad if you wanted to leave and go home to your family. I won't be back for a little while." He told her. Maria's face clouded with an emotion that Mumbo couldn't name. He watched her carefully, his eyes flicking between both of hers. She was still so young, still so innocent. The last thing that Mumbo wanted was for her to be caught up in the same world that he had fled from all those years ago. Maria glanced away from him, breaking their eye contact. Mumbo could tell that she wanted to say something, but it was caught on the tip of her tongue. He smiled fondly to her before he spoke first, breaking their silence. 

"It's okay." He nodded, encouragingly. "I know that you've been sending money to your family, keeping them from the slums. Whatever you choose, I give you my word, I will continue your payments. You won't have to go back there, you will be financially cared for." He muttered. Maria's eyes widened at that, her face lit with happiness, but her eyes glistened with barely held tears. She sniffled as she tried to maintain her composure. 

"Mr Jumbo, thank you." She whimpered before flinging herself into him and wrapping her arms around his neck. Mumbo grunted at the sudden embrace but hugged her back with a soft chuckle. 

"That's okay, Maria. I'm sure, if you asked Julia or Jackie, they can arrange transport for you."

"Yes, sir, we can." Jackie's words cut through and interrupted him. He glanced up and could barely hold the grin that spread across his lips. Jackie, Julia and Eliza all stood at the edge of the foyer, watching them. Maria pulled away and blushed brightly at her previous actions.

"I want to extend the same offer to all of you, it won't be all that safe here. So if any of you choose to leave and return to your families, I will not hold it against you, I can also continue your wages, while I'm gone." He offered. Julia shrugged and glanced to Jackie and Eliza before she replied.

"Sir, the Jumbo Estate is my home. I won't have anywhere to go to, if I had to leave." Julia admitted. "I'd like to stay." Mumbo nodded to that. 

"Then that's fine, but I will continue to pay you while I'm gone." He muttered before his eyes flicked to the women who stood on either side of Julia. Jackie sighed and shrugged.

"Sir, I couldn't leave Julia on her own, I'd like to stay too." She smiled. Mumbo hummed in thanks before his eyes finally fell to Eliza. He rarely interacted with the pink-haired woman. She had her own accommodations to the south of the stables and she preferred to stay there, away from the main house.

"The horses will still need mucking and the gardens won't keep themselves pruned. So I'll stay as well." Mumbo nodded in response and thanked her.

"I understand, as I've said to Julia and Maria, I will continue the payments and ensure that you're all well kept and have everything you might need. I..." He halted in his words, his throat tightening with the emotion that welled up in him. "I can't thank you all enough for all of your help in these last couple of years. You've all been invaluable." He muttered. Julia smirked at him, and chuckled, nodding at his words in thanks. 

Mumbo glanced to Maria before he smiled at the rest of his employees. "Could one of you arrange a car for Maria to go home?" He asked them before he gave them all one last thanks and moved to climb the stairs. He had clothes to pack for their trip.

* * *

Iskall stood in the foyer, Julia had greeted him at the back entrance and had walked him through. The two stood side by side, waiting in silence for Mumbo and Grian to meet them. Just as Iskall's mind began to wonder, he heard the wood of the stairs creak as Grian and Mumbo descended together. His eyes flicked from the horns on his friend's head and to the strange man who he hadn't met before. His gaze locked onto the large white wings and widened with shock. Mumbo smiled, a flicker of sadness flashed through his eyes, but as soon as Iskall had seen it, it had gone. "I know it's weird." Mumbo muttered as he gestured to his horns. Iskall gave a tight-lipped smile before shrugging. 

"I suppose I shouldn't be shocked, man. You signed up for some voodoo programme." Iskall muttered, "I should be glad you're not glowing green." Mumbo let out a snickering laugh at that and nodded. His eyes fell on his mate and he wrapped an arm around him.

"This is Grian, he's my bondmate." Mumbo introduced them, Iskall's eyes flicked between Mumbo and Grian, his brow furrowed with confusion.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Iskall." The brunette greeted the other before his eyes fell on Mumbo. "So, to the rest of us, does that mean he's your boyfriend?" He asked. At Iskall's question, Mumbo blushed brightly and glanced to Grian. The blond chuckled and shrugged. He stretched out a hand, which Iskall shook happily. 

"He'd be so lucky to call me that." Grian teased, only making Mumbo's blush brighter. Iskall let out a laugh.

"I like him." He nodded. Mumbo sighed with false irritation before he giggled and shook his head at the two impossible men. His smile fell at the sound of hard knocking on the front door which was followed by Impulse's commanding voice. Mumbo glanced to Iskall, his face paled with fear. 

"Did Julia explain anything?" He asked. Iskall shrugged as he turned to walk towards the back entrance of the house, Mumbo and Grian followed him. 

"She said enough. I've been following the fallout of the programme and a lot of the trial subjects have been going into hiding. I asked around and finally, someone reached out to me. It turns out your friends at PostPopulate have been trying to round up their experiments. There's a safehouse that many people have fled to, I was planning to take you there." Mumbo nodded as the three men stepped through the back entrance and out to the car. A large wall surrounded them, keeping Impulse and Tango away. Iskall's car was parked only a few feet from the house. It was a black Chevrolet Camaro. Mumbo let out a whistle at the sight of it.

"You've been hiding this from me." Mumbo muttered as he admired the car. Iskall snatched the bag from Mumbo's hand as the taller man ogled the vehicle. 

"I didn't want to encourage you to talk about that VW Bus you bought." Iskall teased. Mumbo chuckled and shrugged before he followed Grian and took a seat in the back of the car. The door panels were wrapped with black leather that matched the dark cushioned seats, green trims flowed across the plastic and painted the stitching of the black fabric. Mumbo hummed at the sight and moved to compliment the car once again. 

"I don't understand everyone's fascination with cars." Grian muttered as Iskall took his seat behind the wheel. Both he and Mumbo twisted to stare dumbly at the blond. Iskall glanced to Mumbo.

"Dump him." He stated finally before he depressed the start button. The car roared to life, and Mumbo almost moaned with delight at the sound of it. Grian blushed at the noise Mumbo had made and nudged him. Iskall giggled before pushing the car into drive. The three of them took off, speeding across the driveway and out through the automatic gates at the edge of the grounds. 

* * *

The drive itself was smooth, the engine was quiet. After the first hour of their driving, Grian had rested against Mumbo, his head leant on the other's shoulder as his eyes slipped closed. Mumbo couldn't keep the fond smile from his face as he wrapped an arm around the smaller man's shoulder, mindful not to crush his wings. Iskall glanced at the rear-view mirror and connected his eyes with Mumbo's.

"How long?" He asked quietly, not wanting to wake Grian. Mumbo glanced up to Iskall and shrugged. He hummed in thought before finally replying. 

"He's been living with me since the trials started. But we hadn't..." He blushed and glanced away. "Until the other night." He finished. Iskall nodded, a smirk playing on his lips. 

"Is it true then? Did they do it?" Mumbo's brow furrowed with confusion at his friend's question before his eyes widened in understanding.

"Yes. Grian's pregnant. I think that's why they're after us. I can't let the first baby born in over ten years to be nothing but lab rat. I mean, I can't let my baby go through that." Mumbo huffed, his arm tightened protectively around the blond, Grian snuffled in his sleep, burying his face in Mumbo's chest. The taller man smiled lovingly before his attention was caught by Iskall's shocked chuckle. 

"That's amazing, man. Congratulations. I never thought... It's just amazing." Iskall's voice was quiet and humbled, in awe of what Mumbo had revealed. He could barely contain his shock. It had been a long time since someone had confirmed that a baby was on the way, never mind the fact that it was a man that was pregnant. Iskall gave a breathy chuckle before his eyes fell back to the road and the car slowed to a stop. Mumbo glanced from the window and was greeted by miles of forest. "We're here." Iskall muttered. Mumbo nodded, and gently nudged Grian awake. The blond whimpered as he was disturbed, but blinked his eyes open.

"We're here, Grian." Mumbo spoke softly, not wanting to startle the other. Grian glanced from Mumbo to the window. His eyes widened as he pressed his face closer to the glass. The forest was dense and thick, apart from the large grey building that stood only a few feet away from them, there was no sign of civilization. Mumbo climbed from the car, and then offered his hand to help Grian. The blond took it before he stood beside the taller man. Iskall brushed passed them and cracked open the boot, plucking both of their bags from where they had been sat.

"Grian!?" A soft tinkling voice called out from the direction of the building, Mumbo and Grian glanced to where it had come from before the shorter man gasped, his eyes widening. Stepping from the confines of the barbed fence was a small girl, her face was bright with barely contained excitement, she wore light denim dungarees and a bright yellow shirt. Although Mumbo didn't know who the child was, he could make an educated guess, her features were but a mirror of Grian's own, the two shared the same shade of blond in their hair, but where Grian sported a short curly mop, her hair was tied back in a ponytail.

"Oh my God." Grian whimpered as he surged forward and sprinted towards a little girl. Mumbo moved to grab the bags from Iskall, thanking him, before he turned to follow his bondmate.

Mumbo watched as Grian knelt to pull the child into his arms. A smile spread across his face at the sweet image that the two presented. His eyes flicked to a space behind the hugging siblings, and his smile faltered. Falling, only to be replaced by a heated scowl. Iskall gasped at the sight of the woman who walked around the small family reunion. "Is that?" Iskall asked. Mumbo nodded.

"Yeah." He replied, not tearing his eyes away from the woman.

"Right. I'll meet you guys inside." Iskall mused, stepping away from his friend and brushing passed the woman. She cocked her head to the side as she smiled sadistically to him.

"Iskall." She greeted with a muted nod.

"Willow." Iskall returned the gesture before he scuttled away. Willow smirked at him before her gaze fell back to her brother. Mumbo's hands clenched at his sides as he watched her step towards him. She was tall and slender, her green eyes reflected Mumbo's own. Her smooth and long raven black hair flowed from her scalp in soft curling waves. She donned a black pencil skirt, a white blouse and opaque black tights, her small heels clicked against the concrete as she stepped towards Mumbo.

"Hello, Brother." She hummed, her eyes flicked up to the horns on his head, but her face remained stoic, not allowing any emotions to slip through the mask. 

"Willow." Mumbo groused, his eyes flared with barely concealed hatred as he glared to her. Willow smirked at his reaction before she gestured to Mumbo's horns with a finger.

"What have you been getting yourself into?" She asked, a smug tone in her voice. Mumbo's eyes flashed dangerously as he schooled his features behind his own mask, feigning calm in the light of resentment. He shrugged. 

"I'm experimenting, what do you think? Does it suit me?" He asked, his voice falling into the same cool tones that his sister held. Willow chuckled and nodded. 

"Oh, of course, although it does nothing to aid in your squeaky clean facade. I wonder, does the delightful young arm candy know anything about me or our family?" She asked. Mumbo's hands clenched tighter at his sides, his eyes narrowed on her and his nostrils flared with anger. 

"No, and nor will he find out." He sniped. Willow's eyes flashed with amusement as she turned to stare at Grian and Mary-Anne. 

"It would be so..." She hummed in thought, searching for the right word. " _Funny_ , if he found out that his boyfriend was once a destined mafia boss, and still pulls some of the strings. I wonder if you'd still be the kind-hearted bumbling fool that you so desperately try to be?" Mumbo glared at her as she spoke. He shook his head. 

"I won't let you bate me, Willow." He seethed. "Why are you here? I asked you to ensure the family was safe. Why did you do this?" Willow fiddled with her red painted nails and shrugged. 

"I thought it would be nice if the two got to see each other." Mumbo's brow arched with scepticism. He hummed. 

"I'm sure you did." He mused before he rounded on her. "Tell me the real reason. The Willow I know would never go out of her way for someone other than herself. What do you want?"

"Mumbo?" Willow smirked to her brother as they were interrupted by Grian's soft voice. Mumbo glanced away from his sister and to the smaller man, Grian stepped towards him, his hand holding Mary-Anne's. The little girl was hidden partially behind her brother as she stared at the twins. Mumbo hummed and smiled softly. "Is this the lady who saved my family?" Grian asked, gesturing to Willow. Mumbo glanced at the woman, Willow grinned smugly. Mumbo's nostrils flared with irritation before his eyes fell back to Grian. It washed away with a smile. 

"I wouldn't go as far as to call her a _lady_. But yes." He nodded. Grian's brow twitched with confusion at that response before his eyes flicked to Willow. He smiled and stretched out a hand.

"I wanted to thank you for saving them." He muttered. At Grian's kind words, Mumbo saw something change in Willow. Where she was usually harsh and cruel, her demeanour transformed completely. A charming and almost flustered smile spread across her face as she took his hand shyly. She shook it, grinning brightly.

"It's not a problem, Mr Charleston. It's the least I can do for my brother's boyfriend." Mumbo was so distracted by her sudden change of character that he hadn't realised that she'd outed him as her sibling. 

"Brother? Wait. I didn't know you had a sister?" Grian asked, his eyes flicking to Mumbo. The taller man blushed brightly before fixing a glare at Willow. She blinked innocently. 

"You didn't tell him about me?" She asked, her snake-eyes flashed with devious delight. Mumbo glared at her before he turned to Grian.

"No, he didn't." The blond muttered, his voice hard and firm. Mumbo blushed under his mate's accusatory glare before he shrugged sheepishly. 

"I --" Before he could give a response, Willow cut in.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so hard on him. The family situation is a bit heavy. I wouldn't want to speak about him either." She giggled sweetly. Mumbo stared at her with wide eyes, his stomach coiled with unease at her strange behaviour. Grian glared to Mumbo before his eyes softened at Willow's words, he sighed and nodded, his own family situation was awkward and difficult to explain, he could sympathise with his mate. He stood closer to Mumbo and smiled at him. "I'm sure he would've told you about me in his own time." Willow mused. Mumbo gawked at her before his eyes fell to Grian's. He hadn't a clue on how to feel about the situation. His sister seemed to have completely switched personalities, while his mate suddenly changed from being irritated to forgiving within a blink of an eye. He sighed and pinched his nose. His mind spun with the effort of keeping up with the two of them. 

Grian nodded to Willow, understanding before he glanced down to the little girl who still held his hand. "Mary-Anne, this is Mumbo. He's the man who's been taking care of me." He told her. The blond girl glanced between her older brother and Mumbo. She smiled shyly to him.

"Are you Grian's boyfriend?" She asked. 

Mumbo's eyes widened at that, a blush tainting his cheeks. He glanced to Grian, hoping that the man would take over. Grian grinned. "He is, yeah." He nodded, his eyes flicked to Mumbo's, pink tinged his own cheeks. Mumbo beamed, warmth spread through his chest at Grian's words and he stole a glance to the other before both of their attentions were diverted by Willow. The woman knelt between them. She held her hand out to the child. 

"Mary-Anne and I must go now." She told the two men. Mary-Anne let go of Grian and wrapped her small fingers around Willow's as her gaze flicked to her brother, tears pricking her eyes. For a moment, Grian was cast back to the sitting room of his childhood home, Mary-Anne screaming for him to stay, his heart breaking with each one of her sobs. He knelt to her level. 

"I'll see you soon, yeah?" He asked her. Mary-Anne grinned and nodded, wiping away the tears before they had the chance to fall from her eyes. 

"Remember, you promised to play with me." She sniffled. Grian whimpered at that, his strength slowly fading. He had to stop himself from reaching out and snatching the child, holding her close to him and never letting go. He nodded and stood, threading his finger's with Mumbo's. 

"Of course, I never forgot." He told her, his voice hoarse with emotion. Mumbo smiled at the sight of the two and tightened his hand around Grian's, bolstering the man's courage, as he bid his sister farewell. Willow stood, her hand still clasped around Mary-Anne's. She smiled to Grian before glancing to her brother. 

"Remember, Mumbo, I'm only a phone call away." She told him. Mumbo glared to her as she turned to leave. He stood closer to Grian and tugged the man towards him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. They watched as Willow and Mary-Anne walked down the road and towards a car that was parked slightly further down than Iskall's. Grian's eyes followed the two, even as they disappeared into the confines of the car. His breath hitched as the vehicle pulled away and drove out of sight. Mumbo watched Grian carefully and moved to press a kiss to the man's head. 

"Are you okay?" He asked. Grian sniffled and shrugged.

"Both yes and no." He replied before glancing to the taller man. "I'm happy that Mary-Anne is safe. But I wish she could stay with us." He muttered. "But I know that if she did, then her safety would be at risk." He sighed, Mumbo nodded and smiled softly. Grian mirrored Mumbo's expression before his eyes narrowed. "When were you going to tell me about, Willow?" He asked. Mumbo's eyes widened at that, and he glanced away.

"I... I don't know. Like she said, my family, is complicated. I will tell you all about them though, one day." He promised. Grian watched Mumbo thoughtfully, his eyes jumped between both of Mumbo's before he smiled. 

"I know." He told him before he pushed up onto his toes and pressed a soft kiss to Mumbo's lips. Mumbo hummed and returned it with enthusiasm. "Should we go inside?" Grian muttered as he broke the kiss. Mumbo glanced behind him and to the safehouse. Anxiety pooled in his stomach. He hadn't a clue what awaited them, but with his hand clasped in Grian's, he knew that whatever they faced, they'd do it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who've been commenting on the chapters, it really means so much to me to see what you all think of the chapters and the updates that I post :D it's nice to see so many people enjoying this story :D
> 
> I am trying to reply to every single comment :D 
> 
> So, on that note, if you're enjoying this, please let me know your thoughts in the comments and furthermore, if you really enjoyed this chapter, please give kudos, if you haven't already :D
> 
> Stay safe guys and thank you all for your support :D


	15. Examinations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, so disclaimer, this chapter has a couple of medical examinations. It's completely consensual although, as it always is with doctors prodding and poking you, it's a little awkward.
> 
> I also wanted to quickly say, that I really wanted to get a chapter update out to you guys, but I am exhausted. So, if there are some grammatical errors or if there are a couple of mistakes, please let me know in the comments and I'll get them sorted ASAP :D
> 
> Otherwise, please enjoy :D

The safe house stood tall among a garden of green; the grass spanned from the edge of the wall and to the metal fence, littered with small colourful flowers. It seemed strange to have that spark of colour beside a large grey cube. The building itself seemed rather small and boring from the outside. Mumbo's eyes flicked across the concrete. There were no windows and no other forms of detail to the structure, except a lonely metal door. Mumbo felt the grip on his fingers tighten. He glanced to them before his eyes flicked to Grian. He tugged on his arm lightly and Grian leant into his alpha's strong body. Mumbo grinned fondly at his bondmate before the two continued their walk towards the door. 

The metal handle was cool and icy against the palm of Mumbo's hand. It was a shocking contrast to the soft warmth of the sun above them. He depressed it and pulled the door open; it squeaked and moaned on its hinges. The two stepped through the threshold and into the building. Due to there being no windows, there was no source of natural light, the bulbs at the ceiling hung and bathed the interior with a soft white artificial glare. Although it wasn't too dark in the room, it took Mumbo a moment before his eyes adjusted. 

The alpha stepped forward, bracing himself against the metal railings that lined the top landing that they had stepped out onto. The door swung closed behind them with a metallic clang. Mumbo's shoulders bunched as he flinched at the loud noise. It seemed to have resonated through the building, as where there had once been a litany of voices, there was now silence. He glanced down upon the bunker, his eyes locked to Iskall. Surrounding his friend was a group of people. He counted five, all of which were craning their necks to stare up to the newcomers. Mumbo felt Grian crowd closer to him. He glanced across to his mate and smiled soothingly as he pressed a soft comforting kiss to the side of the blond's head. "Shall we go down?" Mumbo asked him. He felt Grian nod rather than see him. Mumbo hummed, and the two moved to descend the metal stairs. 

Iskall met them at the bottom and stood close to the two, talking with hushed tones. "I'm going to head off." He muttered, his eyes fixed to Mumbo's. He reached into his jacket pocket and revealed a cheap brick-like phone. "Here's a burner, if anything happens, please call?" He asked. "My number is programmed in." Mumbo glanced to the proffered phone before he plucked it from the other's hand. His eyes flicked back to meet Iskall's. He gave a soft smile and nodded. 

"Thank you, dude." He muttered and for a moment was sure that the Swedish man was about to offer his hand for a shake, but was surprised when he was pulled into Iskall's shorter body and held close in a hug. Mumbo's arms fanned out, his eyes wide and his mouth skewed, betraying his shock, but Iskall only held tighter. After a moment, Mumbo collected himself and a soft smile spread across his face as he gently settled his hands on Iskall's back, patting it softly. Iskall pulled away before he turned to Grian. 

"It was nice to meet you, man, although I wish it was under better circumstances." He muttered to the blond and gestured with a nod of his head to the surrounding bunker. Grian smiled and gave a quiet agreement before Iskall's lips twitched to a smirk. The man leant forward, his eyes sparkling with barely concealed excitement. "Also, congratulations. I expect that the little chap be called Iskall if it's a boy, or Iskallia if it's a girl." He chuckled. Mumbo scoffed and rolled his eyes, fond irritation filled his chest. All the while, Grian glanced between the men an expression of mild shock and confusion twisted across his brow. Mumbo shook his head and playfully pushed Iskall away.

"I am not naming my child after you." He told him. Iskall let out a quiet laugh before shrugging.

"Hey, it was worth a try, right?" He muttered before he clapped Mumbo on the shoulder and moved to step passed the couple. "I hope to see you guys soon, and don't worry, I'll drive by to check on Julia and the girls." He stated before Mumbo had the chance to ask. The taller man grinned brightly to his friend and gave a soft nod of thanks before he watched him ascend the stairs and vacate the building. 

Once Iskall had walked from their sight, Grian leant into Mumbo, his eyes stern and hard. "You told him I'm pregnant?" He hissed, before he glanced towards the group of strangers, who still stood quietly and stared at them. Mumbo nodded to them before his eyes flicked back to Grian. He gave a soft defensive shrug before he smiled. 

"We can trust Iskall." He reassured. Grian's eyes narrowed at that before he pulled away and gave a noncommital hum.

"Hi, I'm Jevin." A man stepped towards them. His skin was a shock of cyan blue and almost translucent. He donned a white hoodie paired with dark jeans. For a moment, Mumbo was shocked by the man's appearance before he remembered the horns that distended from his forehead and the large wings that protruded from Grian's back. Mumbo moved to extend a hand of greeting before Jevin shook his head. "I wouldn't, the transformation that I had, well it kind of made my skin all slimy. It's probably best that you don't touch me." He warned with an apologetic smile. Mumbo's eyes were wide, he glanced passed him and to the others, all of them seemed to have some sort of presentation. He distantly wondered what animal Jevin's DNA had been combined with. "Hello, there." Said man's eyes flicked to Grian's and Mumbo's attention was instantly caught. His eyes widened and hardened with a protective force as he moved to stand between his omega and this obvious alpha. Mumbo's nostrils flared and as they did, he caught the scent of two other alphas in the room. He flicked his gaze to them before his eyes narrowed on Jevin as he bared his teeth and snarled to the man. 

Jevin's eyes widened, and his hands extended before him, placating Mumbo. "Hey, I'm sorry dude, I didn't know you guys were bonded. I... I'll just..." Jevin's brows pinched high on his head as his eyes fell to the ground. He gave a dejected sigh before stepping away, his head hung low. For a moment, Mumbo felt some form of remorse for his actions, but that feeling was soon replaced with the protective instinct as another man stepped forward. An omega, this time. Mumbo's eyes flicked to him and he bared his teeth once more.

"Hey! Don't worry dude, omegas aren't compatible with each other, I'm Scar, by the way." The man's accent was smooth, and soft, Mumbo's eyes narrowed on the omega. He was tall, although not as tall as Mumbo. His body was slender, a pair of small grey cat ears poked atop his head and flicked with each sound that echoed throughout the room. As the man spoke, Mumbo glimpsed his sharp canines. 

"Where's your alpha?" Mumbo asked, by way of greeting. At the mention of his alpha, Scar's ears fell flat on his head, his eyes dropped to the floor and his shoulders slumped. 

"He... He was taken." He answered with a soft and small voice. Mumbo's eyes narrowed on the other.

"What do you mean, taken?"

"By PostPopulate. He was snatched, along with Doc's omega." His eyes flicked up to Mumbo, they jumped from the alpha and to the omega beside him, Grian remained quiet throughout the entire exchange, but moved closer to Mumbo at the mention of people being snatched. "Did you not know that they're rounding us up?" He asked, his voice quiet. Mumbo glanced to Grian, and they both shrugged with a shake of their heads. Scar's eyes widened. "It's why we're all here, hiding. They didn't realise that..." He glanced down at himself, almost as if he was searching for the words he wanted to say. "That we got abilities and changes from their experiments. They're doing tests to find out what went wrong. It's barbaric!" Mumbo's eyes widened as Scar spoke. 

"Testing us? Like vivisection?" He asked, his eyes fixed onto the cat-like omega, Scar nodded, his lips twisted downwards as his eyes glimmered with pricking tears.

"Yeah, and they have our mates." He whimpered and gestured to the taller man behind him. The alpha stepped forward and towards Mumbo and Grian. Before Mumbo had the chance to snarl, the man chuckled and shushed him.

"Don't worry big guy, I'm already bonded, I'm not interested in your mate, as pretty as he may be." He explained, his eyes flicked to Grian and the omega's cheeks flushed brightly with a blush. He smiled shyly before hiding himself further behind Mumbo. Mumbo watched the man carefully before he noticed the slight change in his scent. Where Jevin's smell was fresh and strong, this alpha smelled different, almost as if his scent had been mixed with that of an omega's. "I'm Doc." The other alpha introduced himself, Mumbo stared at him, his eyes roving over his body. Doc's skin was green and scaly, almost reptilian. His eyes shone a bright red and he donned a white shirt and blue jeans. His right arm was replaced by a metal prosthetic. Doc glanced down to his arm and smirked. "That happened before the trials." He hummed. Mumbo nodded softly before he glanced down to Grian.

"I'm Mumbo and this is Grian. We bonded not too long ago." He muttered, introducing them. The blond stepped from behind Mumbo and offered a timid wave before he leant closer to the taller man, his eyes flicking from person to person, all crowding them in the bunker. Although Grian wasn't a shy man, usually, the strange situation in which they found themselves left him feeling exposed and vulnerable.

Doc smiled and nodded before he glanced back to the final two who had yet to introduce themselves. "This is False and Cleo, they're a bonded couple." False stepped forward. Her eyes were hard and unrelenting as she stared at Mumbo. She seemed almost perfectly normal, except she donned a pair of thick goggles, beside her stood a ginger-haired omega, her skin was a disturbing shade of grey and a distant sickly sweet smell, akin to rotting flesh, emanated from her. Mumbo's eyes narrowed on them. 

"Which one of you is the leader?" He asked, his eyes flicking from Cleo and False, to land on Doc. The reptilian man glanced back to a closed door.

"TFC. He's the oldest of us all, he's not one of us, but his daughter was. He owned this bunker before anything happened, and when shit hit the fan, he helped a few of us out and we all came here." Doc explained. "He's some kind of doctor, he used to work for PostPopulate but got out when he saw what they were doing. He's gonna want to give you both a check up before he allows you stay. It's routine, nothing too invasive." Doc explained. 

Almost as if he had heard the group talking about him, an older man stepped from the door behind them. He stood tall, a mess of white straggly hair fell from his head and a large beard hung from his face. He seemed to be the embodiment of a sweet old man. His eyes were kind and soft as he stared at the two. "Mumbo and Grian, I presume." He greeted, a jolly smile on his face. Mumbo's eyes narrowed on him, and he stayed firmly in place, glaring steadily at TFC. The older man paused and grinned brightly. 

"Don't worry! Your friend told me about you both. I'd like to welcome you, but it seems that the others have already beaten me to it." He glanced about the group, who all shot him sheepish smiles. TFC grinned and shrugged. "Never mind though, Mumbo, can I ask to see you first, I hear that you have a rather unique mutation." The moustached alpha glanced to Grian, his eyes wide. The blond grinned and nodded. He pushed to his toes and pressed a soft kiss to Mumbo's cheek before nodding his consent.

"I'll be okay." He reassured before he watched Mumbo step away and towards the older man.

TFC lead Mumbo through to a room that had been set up to appear like a doctor's office. It had diagrams of different organ structures and one specific poster depicted the reproductive tract of a male omega. Mumbo glanced about the room before he flinched as a hand touched the small of his back. "Please, take a seat on the bed." TFC offered, jerking his head towards the small bed that stretched across the length of the room. Mumbo stepped towards it and hopped back onto the mattress. His legs were left dangling a few inches from the floor. TFC took his seat opposite him and smiled.

"So, I am guessing you're an alpha and that you know your mate is pregnant?" He asked. Mumbo nodded, his eyes fixed to the man, his lips clamped shut. He felt like a little boy in the nurses' office and the vulnerability that came with that feeling was almost too much for him. His senses were on high alert and he heard every breath, every creak and every soft sound that echoed through the bunker. His eyes were wide as they bored into the man before him. TFC smiled kindly and pulled a notepad from the desk beside him and wrote something down. "Why don't you begin by telling me about your abilities and how they manifested." He asked. Mumbo's eyes flicked to his horns, and he shrugged.

"It was the morning after Grian's first heat, we'd just bonded. These started growing, and I passed out in a bathroom. Two medical officers came by and I... Well, I got mad and darkness filled the room. It was like I'd sucked the life from the world. It was horrible." Mumbo muttered, his mind filled with images of what he had experienced. It felt as though that had been another life, it felt so long ago, when in reality it had only been a day. TFC nodded at the information that Mumbo gave. 

"Okay, so you seem to be able to control the surrounding darkness? Like your anger manifests as something else?" He asked. Mumbo gave a jerky nod and stretched his neck forward, trying to peek at what TFC was scribbling onto the pad. "Other than this display of powers, you feel perfectly normal?" He asked. Mumbo nodded. TFC noted that down before he flashed a soothing smile to the other. "So, do you mind if I do a physical exam?" Mumbo shrugged. 

"What are you looking for?" He asked. TFC stood from his seat and stepped forward, pulling a pair of latex gloves over his hands. 

"Just whether you're in a fit condition, I would like to give you a basic check-up, but I also need to know if your knot is working as it should during rut and if your scent glands are at the right density." Mumbo nodded and blushed slightly at the mention of his penis. He glanced down to his trousers. 

"I can confirm that it works fine, do I have to take my trousers off?" He asked, his brows pinching with anxiety. TFC smiled and shook his head. 

"Nope, not if you don't feel comfortable doing that." He muttered before he closed the gap between them. "Now, I'm just going to massage the glands on either side of your neck. If it feels uncomfortable, please let me know and I'll stop." He told him. Mumbo nodded and leant his head back slightly, exposing the column of pale flesh. TFC gently placed his index and middle fingers on both sides of Mumbo's neck and gently pressed against the skin. Mumbo felt his throat compress and gasped slightly when TFC pressed over a spectacularly sensitive spot. "Oh, sorry." He muttered before pulling his hands away and tugged the gloves off before dropping them in a bin beside the desk. He plucked the pad from its place atop the table and scribbled his notes. Mumbo watched him quietly before his brows furrowed. 

"Am I okay?" He asked quietly. TFC glanced over his shoulder and smiled softly, nodding. 

"Yes, your glands are perfectly normal in size and sensitivity, so I don't have any concerns there, you say that your knot inflates and deflates fine and functions normally during rut. I don't have any worries, although I would like for you to try to get to grips with your new abilities. They're a part of you now. Being frightened of them could make them dangerous. But don't worry. I will be more than happy to run through them with you as our time here goes on." TFC nodded. Mumbo watched him carefully as he spoke before he hummed in response. "Can you please ask Grian to come through?" He asked. Mumbo nodded and pushed himself from the bed. He reached for the door before he turned back to the man.

"TFC?" He muttered, said man glanced up with a soft smile. 

"Yeah, Mumbo?"

"Thank you."

* * *

Grian watched as Mumbo emerged from the room. He had taken a seat beside Scar and had listened as the man rambled on about gardening and the different strains of grass and their aesthetic effect on the human psyche. Grian couldn't care much for what Scar seemed so passionate about. His mind was focused on Mumbo, focused on what had happened behind the door that lead to TFC's office.

Mumbo's eyes flicked across the room before they fixed to Grian, he gave a soft smile and moved closer to Grian, once he stood by the other's side, he wrapped an arm around the man before he pressed a kiss to the crown of his head. "TFC is ready for you, love." He hummed. Grian nodded and glanced back up to Mumbo. His eyes were wide and his brows furrowed, anxiety pooled in his chest. What would TFC do to him? Would he be kind, or would he treat him like scum for being from the slums? The uncertainty flashed through his mind as he pushed himself from his seat and stepped towards the door. He reached for the handle, but his hand trembled. He clasped his own hand and pulled it close to his chest. He took a deep breath, trying to quell his anxiety. 

"Come on in, Grian." TFC's soft voice called out from the confines of the room, the blond's eyes widened, he hadn't realised that he'd been so loud, he blushed and stepped through the door. "Don't worry, I saw your shadow through the gap at the bottom of the door," TFC explained as he leant back in his chair. Grian glanced from the man and to the gap below the door before his gaze returned to the rest of the room. 

"Please take a seat on the bed." TFC muttered. Grian silently did as asked. Although he struggled slightly, as the bed was rather high from the floor, he had to hop rather high in order to fling himself onto the top of the mattress. "So I wanted to ask you a few questions before I then perform a physical exam on you. Is that okay?" He asked. Grian nodded with wide eyes. TFC flashed a grin to him before he leant his pad against his knee. "So, can you tell me about your physical changes?" He asked. Grian glanced behind himself and to his wings.

"After my heat with Mumbo, I got a lot of pain and then my wings started growing." Grian answered simply.

"Was it a fast growth or gradual?" TFC asked, his eyes fixed to the paper as he scribbled information with his pen.

"Fast." TFC nodded with a soft smile before he continued his questions.

"Okay, and have you noticed any abilities?" Grian nodded silently. "Good, can you tell me about them?" TFC prompted.

"Well, when the medical team came from PostPopulate, I felt their feelings along with my own. It was weird though, it was like I mixed my fear with theirs and kind of shot it into them, somehow, because their fears suddenly became amplified." He muttered. TFC's eyes widened at that. He glanced down to his paper before he continued to write frantically. 

"That sounds like empathic abilities." He muttered in awe, voice barely above a whisper. Grian's brow furrowed at his words.

"What does that mean?" He asked. TFC dotted the end of his sentence before letting his eyes flick up to the young omega. 

"It means that you can not only feel what others do, but you can influence their thoughts and feelings with whatever you see fit. It's rather uncommon, but still very interesting from a psychological and scientific standing." He rambled, eyes wide with excitement. Grian nodded with a soft 'oh' before TFC continued. "Do you mind if I give you a physical examination? I just need to check your stomach and ensure that your pregnancy is healthy for an omega and ensure that your cervix and new genitals are working as normal." Grian nodded silently and watched as TFC stood from his chair, pulled on his latest gloves and moved to stand beside the omega. TFC gently guided Grian to lay back.

"We were told that an omega's pregnancy has a shorter gestation period, how short is it?" He asked. TFC hummed as he slowly lifted Grian's shirt and pressed against the warm panel of flesh that was his abdomen. 

"It can vary, for some, it is a mere few weeks and others it's only a few months, this is why I need to check your cervix and your stomach, from this I should be able to give you an answer." He muttered. Grian nodded but gave a little giggle and twitched on the table as TFC's hand's gently moved across his belly, accidentally tickling him. "Oh, I'm sorry." TFC gave a soft chuckle before he pressed a little firmer. "Okay, you seem to be healthy here, can I ask that you pull your trousers down and place your feet in the stirrups?" He asked, gesturing to the frame-like structures that stood at the end of the bed. Grian lifted his head and stared at them. They seemed to be medieval contraptions. If it weren't for his exposure to pop-culture and media, he wouldn't have had a clue as to what the stirrups were for.

Grian awkwardly pushed his trousers and underwear from his body, shifting his hips up from the bed and exposing his entire lower half to the man. He felt his cheeks heat immensely as he moved to rest his heels gently against the padded arms that held his legs apart. A heated blush flushed across his cheeks as TFC applied a small amount of lube to his anus and slowly pushed his finger inside. "Okay, just going in now." He hummed. Grian whimpered in acknowledgement as he fought to remain quiet. He could feel the cold and uncomfortable feeling of the finger inside him. He was sure that if it had been Mumbo fingering him, then he would have been a lot happier about it, although the context to that fingering would be far more sexually charged than this. Grian's hands moved up to his face, as he hid from TFC "Okay, you seem fine to me." The older man muttered happily as he pulled away from Grian and tugged his gloves off, disposing them into the little bin beside the desk.

"What does it tell you?" Grian asked, his brows high on his head.

"I'd say that your pregnancy will last approximately three months." TFC muttered as he scribbled his answer down onto the pad.

"Oh, wow, that's a third of the normal time." Grian murmured thoughtfully. TFC smiled softly to the omega and nodded. 

"Unfortunately, PostPopulate were more concerned about getting babies back into the world, and doing it at a fast pace, rather than the comfort of those carrying the children." Grian sighed at that and nodded. It was all too true. PostPopulate didn't seem to care about their trials at all, in fact, they seemed more focused on covering their tracks rather than the human sterility pandemic. 

"Well, you're all checked out. I would say that you're perfectly healthy, except, I'd like to discuss your powers at some point, maybe we can work on how to control them, I'd like it if you began exercising those wings of yours as well. I'd like to see if you're able to fly with them or if they're just a product of the excess DNA." TFC mused as he read from his notes on his pad. Once he'd finished speaking, his eyes flicked up to Grian's, and he flashed the omega a soft, soothing smile.

Grian nodded as he pulled his underwear, and trousers back in place. "Yeah, no problem." He muttered. "Is there anything else that I need to do?" He asked.

"Nope, I'm sure one of the others will show you and Mumbo to your room." TFC replied. "Oh! I should also say that breakfast is at eight every day and dinner is at seven."

Grian nodded as he pushed himself from the bed. He brushed down his clothes and fastened the button on his trousers. "Fantastic. Thank you, TFC."

TFC all but grinned and nodded, "No, thank you, Grian. Carrying that baby is probably the single most important thing that is happening in the world right now. You hold the answer to human sterilisation." He muttered, his voice alight with excitement. Grian grinned slightly, his smile faltering, however.

"No pressure then." He muttered with sarcasm. TFC gave a slight chuckle and nodded as he watched Grian push through the office door.

Three months was all they had before their child would be in the world. But, as Grian was all too aware, a lot could happen in three months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much to those of you who've commented on every chapter so far, you're all diamonds and amazing!!
> 
> If you liked this chapter, or even if you didn't, please let me know your thoughts in the comments :D
> 
> And if you really loved it, then please leave kudos if you haven't already :D
> 
> Thank you!!


	16. Humbled & Content

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry that this was posted later today >.> I got caught up with family things, also the UK can finally go out to parks, so I spent a large portion of the day enjoying the sun :D
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's a little shorter than the others and not as action-packed, I thought out boys needed a little break from all the running around :D

The darkness was thick and putrid, almost as if it was an entity within itself. It had mass, was solid. Mumbo was certain that if he reached out from their bed, he'd feel it. Distantly, he wondered what it would feel like, if it would be as cold and damp as it appeared. So deep within the bunker, natural light was non-existent. The structure only poked a few metres above ground, however, it spanned for almost a mile below. 

It had been three days since Grian and Mumbo had arrived at the bunker, the images of a frantic Grian haunted his mind, the fear in those blue eyes was enough to drive Mumbo into action within seconds, and they had. When Tango and Impulse had been removed from the mansion, he and Grian had escaped the grounds only to be brought to a new life. A humble life. He hadn't received further word from Willow regarding Grian's family, yet again, he'd expected nothing more from the woman. He assumed that his sister had stored the Charlestons away in their own safe house, somewhere that PostPopulate would never find them. 

Having grown up around a family of Mafia bosses, Mumbo had been exposed to a variety of safe houses, where their enemies would never find them. He'd been exposed to a medley of horrendous sights that a young child should never have witnessed. The sounds of tortured screams and begging kept Mumbo awake most nights. They were what drove him away from his family. He hated the idea that he'd ever been associated with such people. He was just thankful that he had such a supportive nanny, as Julia had been. She'd stood by him when he'd cried, comforted him when he was scared. In every way but by blood, she was his mother. Mumbo had never met his birth mother, their father had told both Willow and he, when they were children, that she'd ran away, that she'd joined a rival gang and thusly their own people had to 'take care of her'. As a child, Mumbo hadn't a clue what that meant, but as an adult, he knew that it was most definitely not a good thing. He distantly wondered if he would've gotten along with his birth mother, if she'd have liked him. 

Mumbo huffed as he shuffled on the mattress. The air of his and Grian's shared bedroom was stagnant, stale. It reeked of damp and stank of dirt. The sweetness of Grian's scent was enough of a perfume, however, that it drowned out the stench. Mumbo glanced down to the smaller man and couldn't keep the smile from his face. Grian was curled on their bed, his head gently rested on his bare chest, his curly blond hair tickled at the skin of Mumbo's neck. It felt nice. After years of waking up alone, ambling through his days without a soul beside him had left him longing. Years of loneliness had been enough for Mumbo, he'd craved the touch of another, had prayed for someone to walk beside him through his long days, someone to laugh with him, someone to cry with him. A small smile spread across his lips and lingered there as he gazed fondly at his pregnant omega. Soon there would be the soft sound of feet, the pattering of plastic toys, the squealing of excitement. He hadn't considered himself ready for such a thing, but at the brink of parenthood, Mumbo knew that he would never want for anything else. 

The others that dwelled in the bunker with them seemed kind enough, they all had their own histories and mysteries, but Mumbo held no qualms of sharing his family with them. Of raising his child in their company. After the last few days, Mumbo and Grian had slowly allowed themselves to socialise with the group. TFC acted almost like a father figure to them. His daughter had been a candidate in the trials, but from what Mumbo had heard, she was one of the many who'd been snatched by PostPopulate. TFC rarely talked about her, and Mumbo could almost understand why. The thought of having his own child taken from him was a horror that he hoped he'd never have to endure. 

Apart from Mumbo and Grian, the only other complete pairing was False and Cleo. Their bond seemed strong and the love that they shared seemed even stronger. Apparently, the two had been married prior to the PostPopulate sign-ups. They'd registered together, hoping they'd be compatible. Mumbo was glad for them that they were, they seemed so good for each other. False seemed wary of the other alphas around her, being the only female alpha in their group, she was the most ferocious. Mumbo wasn't sure if it was to do with her gender or the fact that she was a violent person, in general. This was why Cleo seemed so perfect for the blond woman, where False was a potent and explosive person, Cleo seemed so mellow and forgiving, gentle and sweet. 

Prior to PostPopulate, Mumbo had heard False talk about the fights she'd had. False had been a member of the military, she'd fought for their country and from the things she didn't talk about, Mumbo was certain that she was a member of some specialised force. Her skills in combat were unmatched by the others. The group had been instructed by TFC to begin training the day after Mumbo and Grian had arrived, for what they were training for, Mumbo was uncertain. But he was sure that there was a valid reason for it. False had taken to the job role of an instructor with such finesse. She'd taught them basic self-defence and close-range combat, she seemed unmatched by all of them, her only weakness was that of her 'change.' False wore a pair of thick goggles, as her eyes had become incredibly sensitive to all forms of light. From what Mumbo could tell, they'd all experienced an adaption, which then lead to powers, or gifts as some would call them. Along with False's light sensitivity, she'd gained the ability to super-charge any weapon or object that she touched, making them almost explosive when they came into contact with others. Mumbo had to smother his chuckle as he pictured the event that must have taken place when False had discovered that ability.

Scar had taken on more feline traits and could render himself virtually invisible to the human eye. TFC had said that he could change the composition of his cell density and could then render himself undetectable. Doc had adopted characteristics of a reptilian creature and his strength had quadrupled, in power, to that of an average man. Jevin's adaptation was akin to that of some sort of gastropod and gained the ability to control water. But Cleo seemed vastly different from the others. Her change had taken the form of a corpse. Mumbo's brow furrowed as he thought about it. From what he could tell, her adaption was due to a combination of a possum and a skunk. Having taken on a change that was a mixture of two different creatures, Cleo had the astounding ability to talk to the animals. 

Each member of their small group had their own set of skills and strange quirks, and it only added to their friendship. They were a playful bunch and often joked with each other. Jevin had pulled a prank on Doc, he'd turned his water to slime, rendering it undrinkable, the entire group had laughed for hours afterwards, teasing Doc and praising Jevin on his creatively mischievous joke. 

Grian and Mumbo had fit into the group almost seamlessly. TFC had taught Mumbo about his strange power, his ability to control the surrounding darkness, the dangers he posed frightened Mumbo, the thought of losing control and hurting Grian or any of the others was too great of a risk for Mumbo to feel comfortable about using his power. However, Grian's own ability was magnificent. He could not only directly feel another's emotions but after feeling them he could charge them to a higher level or diminish them completely, being left with nothing but a numbness. After altering the state of the feelings, he could fire the end product back into the person's mind, effectively controlling their emotions and state of being. Although with the benefits of such a powerful gift, came the downfall. Not long after their arrival at the bunker, Mumbo found Grian in their bedroom sobbing. He could feel everyone's emotions as if they were his own. Worried for his lover, Mumbo had called for TFC, who had worked with Grian to develop a barrier, a safety net that cut off other's thoughts and feelings. A state of being that allowed Grian to function without experiencing a litany of emotions that weren't his own. 

Their biological transformations had lead to physical advancements too. Mumbo's horns were dense and strong, akin to that of a bull or a ram, Grian could fly, although he was still unsteady and struggled to control his direction after taking off. Scar had the balance and reflexes of a cat, Doc's skin seemed almost constantly cold and when the room dropped below a certain temperature, his movements became rather sluggish and slow. 

Grian shifted slightly on Mumbo's chest, he glanced down to his bondmate. His stomach had grown ever so slightly, now delicately rounded. The sight of their baby's growth was so phenomenal to Mumbo and he'd often catch himself staring at Grian's belly in awe, much to the blond's chagrin. Mumbo couldn't count the times that Grian had told him off for staring and proceeded to complained that he was fat or ugly. Mumbo very much enjoyed proving Grian wrong. A sultry smirk dangled on Mumbo's mouth, as images of his mate, sprawled on the bed and moaning with pleasure filled his mind. 

"What're you thinking about?" Grian's sleepy voice pulled Mumbo from his thoughts, he glanced down to Grian, a grin tugged at his lips. 

"Nothing important." He huffed out as he yawned and stretched out on the mattress. "What time is it?" Grian glanced across to the wall and squinted his eyes.

"Almost breakfast." Mumbo hummed, nodding.

"Do you want to get up then?" He asked. Grian's lips curled into a playfully teasing grin as he cuddled closer to Mumbo's warm and firm body. He whimpered and shook his head, tickling Mumbo's skin with his soft hair. 

"Nope. I wanna stay here with you." He huffed, pulling a chuckle from the taller man. Mumbo rolled his eyes at Grian's words, smiling fondly. 

"We can't stay here all morning, besides." He muttered, pushing away from Grian and slipping from the bed. "I'm hungry." 

At Mumbo's actions, Grian whimpered and slapped at the now half-empty bed. "Buzzkill!" He whined before he followed Mumbo and stood, brushing his fingers through his hair and stretching. Mumbo's eyes fixed on his smooth skin and he couldn't help but crowd close to the other.

"Maybe, if we're lucky, we'll have time after training to have a bit of fun in the shower." He muttered and wiggled his eyebrows. A blush flashed across Grian's cheeks as he giggled and gently pushed his lover away. 

"If you tease me like that, then I won't let us leave this room." Grian pouted his lower lip, Mumbo hummed playfully as he pressed his face into the crook of Grian's neck. 

"Maybe I'd like that." He drawled as he licked a stripe across the now healed bondbite. Grian shivered at that. The soft silky wet touch of Mumbo's tongue against him lit a fire that he was sure, if he didn't stop their actions, he'd never extinguish. 

"Nope, you made your bed, now lay in it. Besides, I don't want to have sex with a cranky Mumbo Jumbo." Grian muttered as he straightened his pyjamas. 

At Grian's words, Mumbo let out a giggle and nodded. "I don't blame you." He murmured thoughtfully before he stepped towards their bedroom door. Outside their room, the artificial light hummed from their fixtures on the ceiling of the bunker. Emerging from their rooms, almost at the same time, were the other alphas and omegas, all sleep dazed and donning their different nightwear. Mumbo and Doc were the only two who were shirtless. Beside Mumbo, Grian leant against him, cuddling to his side and pressing a soft pattern of kisses to his shoulder and arm, the only places he could reach from his position. Mumbo glanced down to the blond and grinned with affection. His heart blossomed like a flower in bloom. Grian pulled away and shone a beaming smile back to him, his blue eyes twinkled with content. 

"Alright! Breakfast is served!" The jolly voice of their keeper, TFC, called to them all. Mumbo peered over Grian's head and his mouth instantly watered as he saw the table had been stacked with food. Doc and False were instantly taking their seats, almost drooling. A laughing Cleo slowly moved towards her mate and admonished her impatience. False shrugged it off in favour of loading her plate with another sausage. Jevin and Scar were slower to reach the table, both quiet and sleepy. Mumbo and Grian took their seats beside one another and loaded their own plates with the delicious breakfast goodies. Hashbrowns, sausages, bacon, egg, beans, tomatoes and mushrooms, all packed with enough grease to clog several hundred arteries, but none of them cared. It was salty and tasty, and that was enough encouragement for them all. 

"So, what's the plan for today?" Mumbo asked after swallowing a mouthful of food. Scar glanced over to him, almost forgetting that there were others at the table, still so drowsy, his sleepy head filled with morning fluff. TFC glanced around the table, waiting for any suggestions. When none came, he took a sip of orange juice and glanced to Mumbo.

"I was thinking of having a rather relaxed day. I've had you all training and working hard. It's supposed to be sunny all day. There's a little lake not too far from here, I think it would be nice if you all had a day off." He offered. Doc readily agreed with a hearty cheer before his voice died in his throat and he glared warningly at Jevin. 

"Only if slime-boy doesn't ruin the water for everyone. I'd rather not be picking jelly pieces from my scales for days on end." At the mention of his nickname, Jevin chuckled and winked to Doc. 

"You've got nothing to worry about bro." He hummed. "Or do you?" He teased. At that Doc flung a small mushroom at him. It bounced off Jevin's soft blue flesh and pinged towards False, sticking to her goggles with the grease. Her blond head snapped up, and she scowled towards both Jevin and Doc.

"Wait..." Doc immediately moved to defend himself, before half of a super-charged sausage was hurled towards him, it whizzed through the air at lightning speed and bounced off his forehead, leaving tomato sauce in its wake. His eyes narrowed on the skilled fighter before he moved to take a spoon full of beans. He held the utensil as if it were a slingshot and just as he moved to fling it, Cleo reached her hand out with a hard glare. 

"Now, we will not be having a food --" She was interrupted by a mushroom bouncing off her cheek. Her eyes narrowed on Scar, who giggled maniacally in his chair. "Right. You asked for it!" She all but squealed as she flung a small piece of bacon at him. The feline man hissed and batted it away with cat-like reflexes, only for it to land on TFC. The older man chuckled at the scene before him. Fully grown men and women, all acting like children. He shook his head fondly before he plucked the bacon from his cheek. 

"How about we save the excitement and energy for the lake?" He muttered with amusement. 

Mumbo gave a sideways glance to Grian and could barely keep the grin from his face. His child was due to be born within the next few months, and he was sure that if the two of them were able to handle their new friends, then they were well prepared for when the baby finally arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know what you thought in the comments :D and if you haven't already, please leave kudos :D
> 
> Also, a massive thank you to all of your comments, I am working my way through them and answering slowly :D it's so appreciated to hear what everyone has to say :D thank you!


	17. Delightfully Playful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyoo guys! I am so glad to read that you all enjoyed the lighthearted energy of the last chapter :D I come back to you with another fluffy chapter, it's a little shorter than before, so I'm sorry about that :( I hope you enjoy it all the same.

After breakfast had finished each alpha and omega helped TFC to clear up, collecting plates and cutlery and dumping them in the sink ready for one of them to wash later. The suggestion of swimming and escaping the bunker, even if only for a few hours, had the group buzzing with barely restrained excitement. Mumbo stripped out of his pyjamas once he and Grian were back in their bedroom. The taller man gave out a shockingly high-pitched shriek when a hand came down and cracked against his bare bottom, while he was bent over. He shot ramrod straight and his hands flew to cover his behind, the right cheek now reddening slightly, but not nearly as bright as the cheeks on his face were. 

He glanced behind him to see a pregnant Grian doubled over, giggling and pointing to him. "It was too tempting!" He howled between fits of hysteria. Mumbo's eyes narrowed on the man before he moved forward to gently tackle his mischievous bondmate. He had barely stepped three paces when a loud rapping of knuckles against their bedroom door sounded throughout their room. He stood, naked, in the centre of their room, a blush brightening on his cheeks.

"Are you two ready?" Scar's voice chimed through the door, a bouncy hyperactivity alight in each syllable of his words. Mumbo glanced to Grian, and a small smile spread across his lips. 

"Almost," he shouted back, "I'm just dealing with a rather raucous little omega." The two could feel the heat of Scar's blush through the door as the other omega stuttered his reply.

"O-Oh... Umm... Hurry then!" He babbled dumbly. At the stunted reply, Grian doubled over once more, his body trembling with the force of his laughter, his wings shook with each roll of his chuckles. Mumbo's eyes fixed onto the blond and he could barely keep the amused grin from his face. He rolled his eyes fondly before he plucked a pair of trunks from his suitcase and pulled them on, tightening the drawstring at the waist. 

He pushed his feet into a pair of flip flops and slipped a clean shirt over his head before his gaze fell back to Grian. The smaller man had stopped his laughing in favour of standing over his own case, his eyes narrowed on the garments that laid folded there and his fingers holding his chin. Mumbo shuffled towards him and wrapped his arms around his waist, resting his head atop Grian's curly blond hair. 

"What's up, darling?" He asked, gently stroking his hands over Grian's slightly bulging belly. The smaller sighed and leant back into him, his eyes falling shut and brow furrowing in defeat.

"I don't know what to wear... The trunks I packed are good, they're comfy, and I'd wear them, but..." He glanced down to his torso. "I look like this." He almost whimpered as he gestured to his pregnant state with his hands. Mumbo hummed in thought as he considered Grian's words.

"Why not wear a shirt over the top? There's nothing wrong with that. We could even cut holes in the back of one of mine so your wings can fit through?" He offered, eyes glancing down to survey the other. After a moment of silent consideration, the blond nodded, his curls brushing over the underside of Mumbo's chin. 

"That's a good idea." He agreed.

* * *

Although Britain wasn't the warmest of countries, the British summer could reach staggering temperatures, heating the air around the concrete safe house. The group of friends slowly filtered out through the doors, their excitement clear on their faces, all were present except TFC, who had claimed that he wanted to give the alphas and omegas their space to relax, away from their 'leader'. 

For Scar and Doc, it had been weeks since they'd emerged from the safety of the bunker. Their eyes were wide with wonder and awe at the beauty of the world around them. False and Cleo sat on the edge of the lake, their feet dipping into the water, while Doc, Scar, Jevin and Mumbo were all stood waist-deep in the lake. Splashing beside them was Grian. His wings flapped against the water and flung droplets of cool liquid at the others who stood nearby. Doc was the first to flinch and gasp at the shocking sensation of cold water hitting his skin. His eyes narrowed on Mumbo who gave a guilty smile. "Take care of your omega!" The reptilian man shouted half-jokingly. Mumbo grinned wolfishly before nodding.

"My pleasure." He hummed before his eyes fixed on the splashing man. He lunged forward and dived into the water, swimming closer to Grian. He wrapped his arms around his lover's waist. Grian gasped and giggled as Mumbo resurfaced for air. His raven hair dripped into his eyes while his moustached drooped slightly. Grian grinned at his alpha.

"Come to take care of me?" He challenged, a playful expression flickered through his eyes as he watched his lover. Mumbo hummed as he dragged the other towards him, burying his head in the crook of Grian's neck and rubbing his moustache into the sensitive skin he found there. Grian howled with laughter at the silly action, trying to squirm away. His wings flailed and flapped. The others hooted with amusement, Scar and Jevin splashed water at the playful couple before Grian broke free from Mumbo and sprung into the air. His wings flapped, drying themselves. Droplets of water rained down on the other around them as he sawed higher and higher. 

Being so high in the sky, Grian could peer over the treetops. His eyes fell down to the group below who all cheered and clapped their hands on the surface of the water. He grinned and looped in the air, before his eyes fell on something moving in the trees. A group of people, Grian's eyes narrowed on them and he squinted, trying to see them clearer. They were all men, and all wore black. They skulked through the trees. Grian watched them for a moment longer, his attention caught on them. Who were they? Why were they so far in the English wilderness?

"Grian!" Mumbo's shouting voice cut through his thoughts, the blond glanced back down to his friends and grinned before his eyes flicked back to where he had seen the men. He was met with nothing but trees. He stayed there, staring at nothing, before he settled on the assumption that they must have been hikers, although as much as Grian was ready to believe that, something twisted in his chest. "Gri!" Mumbo called once again, interrupting Grian's reverie, the winged omega sighed in defeat, unable to come up with a reason as to why the group of men had seemed so strange and out of place. He shrugged the unsettling thought away before he flipped in the air and dived into the water, splashing everyone. 

The group continued their playing far into the evening, having lost track of time. Their laughter and hooting was the soundtrack to their fun, but as much as they had enjoyed their time out of the bunker, each of them were distantly aware that it was unsafe to be out in the open for such a prolonged length of time. False was the first to call it a day and stated that she wanted to go back to the bunker, Cleo rested against her shoulder, her eyes drooping from the energy she'd exerted while swimming. Mumbo and Grian agreed with her and soon the rest of the group admitted that they too were tired. They clambered from the lake and slowly made their way back to the bunker. Their bodies dripped and their muscles thrummed with the aftershocks of such an active day. Each of them had a wide beaming smile on their faces, all except Grian, who still couldn't banish the strange feeling he'd felt at the sight of the men he'd seen earlier that day.

* * *

"That was fun, right?" Mumbo grinned to Grian. He was stretched out on the bed, his back resting against the headboard and his hand clasped together behind his head. The two had showered and retired to their room whilst dinner was being prepared, both wanting some time to themselves. Grian hunched over his suitcase as he folded some of his clothes and tidied his belongings, setting them in the confines of his case. "Gri?" Mumbo's concerned voice snapped Grian from his thoughts and he glanced over to the other. 

"Hmm?" He hummed in response. Mumbo's brow furrowed as he sat upright on the bed. 

"Are you okay? You've seemed distracted today." 

At Mumbo's words, Grian couldn't keep the soft blush from reaching his cheeks as he was called out, he shrugged the question off and shook his head, deciding that it wasn't worth worrying Mumbo over something even he wasn't so sure of, himself. He smiled placatingly before he stepped towards the bed. His eyes were half-lidded and a sultry smirk painted his lips. "Do I?" He questioned, his voice a seductive drawl. Mumbo shuffled on the bed but could barely keep the grin from his face, he nodded. 

Grian widened his eyes as his mouth formed a soft 'O'. "Well, let me make it up to you." He hummed, his fingers hooked into the waistband of Mumbo's underwear and tugged them down. Mumbo lifted his hips to help, as he watched Grian with narrowed wide eyes. The smaller man hummed at the sight of Mumbo's long member, having grown since starting the PostPopulate programme. "It looks like someone is happy to see me." Grian hummed thoughtfully as Mumbo's prick hardened, rising from the dark nest of black hair, only to arch and curve against his stomach. Grian grinned up to Mumbo. Keeping eye contact, his hand wrapped around Mumbo's dick, he flicked his tongue out and licked a stripe up the length of it.

Mumbo blushed at Grian's words, as he watched his prick slowly harden under Grian's stare, heat pooled in his belly as the anticipation grew between them. At the feel of Grian's hand wrapping around him and then the soft silky touch of that devilish tongue, Mumbo whimpered and arched his back. "Keep quiet, we don't want the others to hear you." Grian giggled. Mumbo lifted his hand to his face and bit into his palm, smothering the guttural groans that were subsequently pulled from him as Grian wrapped his lips around the head of his cock, swirling his tongue around it. 

Pleasure sparked and slithered down his spine, feeding the erotic fire that blustered through his groin. Mumbo moaned into his hand as Grian sucked, softly bobbing his head. Mumbo groaned and whimpered with pleasure as Grian's delightful mouth delivered shock waves of pleasure through his nerves. Grian glanced up to the man and made a small opening in his mental barrier, allowing Mumbo's pleasure-filled emotions to filter through and into his head. He comforted them, soothed them and whispered deliciously naughty things to them, described what he wanted to do to Mumbo, filled them with a charged sense of heated pleasure and then fired them back into Mumbo's mind. The effect was instant. Mumbo was filled with quadruple the amount of pleasure than there he had felt only moments before. Not only did he feel the sweet sucking sensation that drove him up the wall, but also the supernova of passion that erupted through his chest as Grian empathically fired wave after wave of erotic pleasure directly into his lover's mind. 

Mumbo keened. He hadn't the time to warn Grian. He only managed to splutter and whimper as his hips jerked and he shot ropes of cum into the other's mouth. Grian expertly swallowed it without flinching and kept his eyes connected with Mumbo's. Mumbo's vision whited out. His mind short-circuited and soon he could only gasp Grian's name as he shuddered through his orgasm. Grian gently sucked him through it, guiding him down from the erotic high and only releasing him as his cock wilted and became a little too sensitive. He grinned up to his lover. "Do I seem distracted now?" Grian asked, a mischievous grin painted his pink lips, slightly reddened from the friction of Mumbo's cock in his mouth. Mumbo chuckled and shook his head. 

"You're mad, absolutely insane and I love you." He panted. Grian giggled and crawled up the other's body, settling into Mumbo's arms. The two cuddled together until sleep slowly stole them and dragged them into a peaceful slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we have a small development, I'd love to hear what you all think might happen next :D I'd like to see if you have sussed out the next step in the story, or if I have been delightfully secretive with what is about to happen :D
> 
> I'd like to thank everyone for their supportive comments and encourage you all to comment again on this chapter, if you enjoyed it :D and if you really liked it, then please consider leaving kudos :D


	18. Memories, Actions & Reactions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooh! I'm back with a long chapter :D 4,500 words for you all :D 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter, it starts off slow and then... oh boy... You should just read it :D

Dank cool air permeated throughout Mumbo and Grian's shared room. The chill lingered and watched over the two, as if it were a golem, waiting for the time where the covers were drawn back far enough before it stretched its icy touch out to plush, warm skin. Mumbo's eyes clenched as he slowly roused from his slumber. His brows furrowed as he gradually drew upon his awareness. A soft weight was pressed against his side, it shuffled slightly, sniffling into the early morning. Mumbo's eyes flicked open, taking in the room. It was bathed in a blanket of darkness. He glanced down to see his omega cuddled close to him, their shared warmth radiated through the bed. 

Grian's eyes were gently closed against the world around him, his soft blond curls framed his relaxed face as he shuffled in his sleep, his little nose twitched slightly and Mumbo could barely restrain the wave of fondness that curled through his chest as he watched the other rest. Watching Grian sleep was one of Mumbo's favourite pass times. When the early hours of the morning called to him and pulled him from his slumber, he felt blessed to have those few hours of peace, where he could bask in the safety of the space that the two shared. His alpha instincts, although still new to him and rather strange to understand, sang with praise. The animal within purred gently at the sight of his omega, the reassurance that he was safe, content and wanting for nothing but his comfort and warmth. 

A pang flashed through his lower abdomen as his bladder finally realised that his body was awake. It screeched its banshee cry through his system, alerting his nerves to a very pressing need. Mumbo glared down to the skin of his belly that covered the organ, his eyes narrowed on it, as if by merely looking at the thing, he could persuade it to stop its pleas for relief. For a moment, he could ward off the need, the urgency to urinate. However, that peace was short-lived, as a wave of urgency flashed through the organ, a threat held tightly in its cry. A warning, that if he didn't move now, he may not be able to hold off his urine for much longer. 

With a frustrated huff, Mumbo gently extricated himself from the cuddling body beside him and slipped from under the covers. He pushed himself to stand and glanced behind him at Grian, who now slept alone. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as his eyes softened. Grian seemed so peaceful, so sweet in his sleepy world. Distantly, Mumbo wanted to catalogue each and every centimetre of Grian's slumbering face, the soft pout of his lips, his distant little hedgehog snores, the little flicker of his brow. He wanted to preserve this sight, save it, so he could return to it whenever he wanted, and derive that same sense of peace that he garnered from the image before him. 

His bladder throbbed once again and pulled him from his hazed thoughts, begging him for release. Mumbo gave a forlorn sigh before he twisted on his heel and stepped from the room. Slipping through the door, he gently closed it and winced as the mechanism clicked. He paused for a moment, letting silence fall through the bunker, praying that his disturbance of the quiet hadn't pulled anyone else from sleep, especially Grian. His eyes flicked through the darkness as he listened. When he received nothing but more tranquillity, he let go of the breath he'd been holding and glanced across the night-stricken bunker. 

The safe house seemed almost military-esque in its architecture. Muted greys and black painted iron decorated the building. It had four tiers to it, the main entrance, which took up the top layer and had a long cascading metal staircase that led through to the third layer, which was their shared living space. It was decked out with two couches and a dining table. The room finally led in two directions. The left side filtered through to TFC's office door, which neighboured a staircase that took you through to the lowest floor and to the right of the room was a second staircase, which extended up to the second layer. A stretching landing wrapped around the interior perimeter of the structure. Several doors lead away from the landing, barriers between the bunker and each individual's bedroom. They all shared a communal bathroom, which could be found at the lowest level. Mumbo descended the first staircase before stepping past the dining table, and to the second, where he embarked on the utility rooms. 

This lower level held the washroom that contained several washing machines and tumble dryers, besides that was the kitchen and then sandwiched between the washroom and the storage room was their shared bathroom. Mumbo cut through the centre of the space and through to the latter. Inside, the floors and walls were tiled. Cubicles lined the left side, each containing a toilet and a shower. Opposite to the cubicles were basins and then finally, stretched across the end wall and opposite the door were three urinals. 

Mumbo's bare feet tapped against the cool tiles until he stood close to the centre urinal. He pushed the hem of his pyjama pants down and practically moaned with relief as his release poured from him. His emptying bladder sighed and sang with pleasure as finally, it was free from the constricting liquid. Once done, Mumbo stepped away, washed his hands and ascended back to their shared living area. 

The bunker seemed so peaceful at such a quiet hour of the early morning. No one else had awoken and the world around Mumbo was bathed in silence. He flicked his eyes up to their bedroom, staring at it. The thought of his sleepy lover drew a smile across his face before his eyes fell on the highest level of the bunker. He peered up to the main door. The memories of fresh air called to him, seduced him. His lungs burned for the refreshment of the open space. He climbed up the main staircase and reached the highest floor. He stepped forward and reached for the door, the metal of the doorhandle bit against his warm palm, the cold but a harsh touch was rough and callous. It shocked the nerves in his hand to wakefulness, slapping away the drowsiness of whatever sleepy haze still clung to his body. Mumbo twisted the handle, depressing it before letting himself out into the cool open space, outside the safe house. 

Mumbo closed the door behind him as he stepped out into the open. The mildew of dawn clung to the grass and soaked the soles of his bare feet. The cloaking chill of the early morning wrapped its cold arms around his naked torso, hardening his nipples under its crisp ministrations. Mumbo stopped walking at the mouth of the metal fence that sheltered the bunker from the rest of the world. 

The sky was a large canvass of grey-blue, black silhouetted trees stood like guardians around him, the mouth of the forest called to him, whistling some ancient tune that rang true through the fresh DNA PostPopulate had filled him with. Some animalistic desire begged for him to gallop through the brush, it sang like a siren, calling for him to join it in the depths of the cool dark forest. The fresh morning breeze washed over his horns, their hardened surface cooled, matching the temperature of the surrounding air. Mumbo flicked his eyes to the treetops, and peeking through the gaps between them, winking at him, was the sun. It's white light, a purity among the thorny peaks of the trees. He watched it. Although he knew that it was rising, he couldn't say that he saw it move an inch. The peace of the area resonated within him, the thrumming quiet sang with his heartbeat. 

It seemed so strange. Only weeks ago had Mumbo been what he'd considered normal. He'd stood like this in his conservatory, watching the sunrise bathe his estate in its glorious light. He'd been surrounded by his family of employees, Maria's soft nervous demeanour, Eliza's cool distant presence, Jackie's colourful laughter and Julia's overarching comfort. All four of them had built their own place in his heart. Distantly, he wondered how they were coping. If they had noticed his absence, if they were happy about it or if they missed him. Mumbo's heart clenched at the latter. 

The life that he led now seemed a separate parallel to what he had once deemed normal. He'd have begged it to be only in fairy tales, the images of green reptilian men, blue slimy beings, zombified women, winged lovers and himself - a horned creature. Although they all seemed to be details from a Brother's Grimm novel, they were very much real, in his world. A frightening and horrific mess of people all banded together, it was chaotically beautiful. A symphony of different musical instruments, all still learning their tunes and melodies. They were a harmony; they complimented each other, in both character and personality. 

Mumbo couldn't stave off his wistful grin as he thought on his new life, his friends, his lover. Grian had been a man so far removed from what once was Mumbo's reality. A slum dweller, nothing to his name, what some would consider a nobody from nowhere had appeared in his life, stolen his heart and replaced it with something sacred. Something older than the dawn of humanity. He was destined to be a father. To a baby born from both himself and Grian, two men. It seemed distantly impossible; it was once a world away from what nature had planned, but yet it seemed all too real to be fake. His omega was pregnant with a little life that was a culmination of both himself and Grian. A perfect sample of two lives thrown together.

Once, Mumbo had been a child himself. A small boy surrounded by hatred and hurt. His father had been cruel, dished out punishments that Mumbo would never have dreamed of imposing on his own unborn child. Switchings, lashings and a litany of mental abuse were the three horsemen to his upbringing. The only source of comfort could be found within his twin sister and nanny. Julia had loved them both dearly, had cared for them as if they were her own two children. Mumbo loved both of the women from his young life, his sister hadn't always been so callous, hadn't always been so cunning. 

Willow was once a sweet innocent girl, a child who sang to herself as she skipped, a girl who had loved with all her heart and left hatred to her father. But, somewhere along their upbringing, they parted ways. Mumbo had been exposed to the hate that the Mafia had brought upon his world. He had seen the river of blood, the battles in the shadows. He had met the men who not only committed the most heinous of crimes but enjoyed them. Mumbo had rebelled against such things, he had seen for himself the pain that one could cause to another and ran from it. He had been so consumed with saving himself that he hadn't noticed his father sinking his dastardly tendrils into his sister, permeating her world view until those sweet songs that she had once sung became cruel lullabies of pain. 

Guilt clouded through Mumbo's chest. He wished he had been able to save his sister, but when he'd taken the time to look back, she hadn't been there. She'd been plucked from her place beside him and trapped in a prison designed by their father. Mumbo had tried to fight back for her, had tried to save her, but Julia stopped him. With tears in her eyes, she'd shown him a life where he could be free and selfishly, Mumbo took it. Grasped at it with both hands, taking away the only hope his sister had in saving herself. Mumbo glared at the sun that now peaked over the tops of the trees. It was his fault that his sister was stuck where she was. He hadn't tried hard enough to save her, hadn't pushed forward or fought harder to show his love for her. His twin, his other side, had been stolen from him. 

Distantly, Mumbo hoped that with his new slice of life, with the beckoning of new beginnings. His unborn child, Grian and his group of new friends. Maybe they could save her. Maybe Mumbo could correct his greatest regret, take back the actions that had damned his sister. With a newfound drive of hope, Mumbo smiled at the sun, watched as it bathed the world anew. Maybe he could be a better man, not only for his new family, but for his old one too. He stepped away from the light and turned to make his way back to the bunker. In his silent steps, he heard a branch snap. Mumbo's ears pricked, and he glanced back to where he'd heard the sound. He stopped still and glared at the shadows between the trees. 

"Hello, mister Jumbo." The voice coiled out, billowing like a thick black plume of smoke. It tickled into his ears and sent a shrill chill through Mumbo's spine. He arched his back and snarled out at the unknown man. His eyes flicked through the darkness and he sniffed, searching for a source that could identify this strange person. His nose twitched as he smelled, but he only received the soft scents of nature, the herbal smells of the trees, the pure stink of damp soil, the course artificial stench of chemicals. Mumbo's eyes widened as he smelt it, the one thing that was not supposed to be present in the rainbow of odours. His shoulders bunched, and he hissed out his warning at the trespassers, hoping against all odds that they would take his growls as threats and back away. 

A click. A shot. Whizzing. Prick. Pain. Mumbo yelped at the feel. He glanced down and saw a trank dart poking from his thigh. His eyes widened, his horns glowed their dull purple hues as his eyes narrowed on where the dart had come from. Three men emerged from the darkness, their black military-like fatigues blended almost perfectly with the surrounding area, their faces were obscured by masks. Presumably, that was why Mumbo couldn't smell them. The technology in their helmets must have blocked their scents from him. Mumbo gave a roaring growl as he flicked a hand forward, beckoning forth a wall of darkness. He felt it. The tendrils of cool, dank shadows filled his body, singing with his muscles. He begged it forward, pushed the wall of dark towards them. A cloud of shadow permeated around Mumbo, like a ball of smoke, hints of flickering purple danced within it, dull flickers of violet. He pushed the wall at them. The black and purple surged forward, following the trail set by his hand and collided with the men. The tranquilliser dulled his power's force, seeping into his muscles and mind. Its chemical whispers wilted his senses, and where the dark force that he'd produced would have knocked the men back, it merely jabbed at them. Mumbo stared in horror as the three of them continued their steps towards him, closing in on their target - him. 

Mumbo tried once more, he called upon the darkness and tried to hurl it at them, but nothing came. He was powerless. He growled out in betrayal. Pictures of his friends' faces filtered through his mind. Doc. Scar. False. Cleo. Jevin. TFC. He couldn't let these men get to them, couldn't let them snatch them. Anger surged through Mumbo's chest. A protective force pushed him forth. He angled his head downwards, tucking his chin into his chest and surged forwards, attacking one man with his horns. He dug his bony spikes into the man's abdomen and thrusted his chin out, flicking the man into the air. He somersaulted out and collided with the ground in a sickening thud. The attacker moaned in agony as he sluggishly pulled himself back to his feet. As Mumbo surged towards the others, he saw their eyes widen with fear behind their visors before they hardened once more, ready for his challenge.

"Fuck! We have to get 'im!" One - presumably the leader - called to the others. Mumbo watched him and snarled before he yelped, once again, as another dart pricked into his bicep. Mumbo glanced at the offending thing before his eyes flicked to the man, who he'd rammed with his horns. He held his gun out, aiming it at Mumbo. He lunged towards him, teeth bared and horns ready for another attack, until a third dart punctured the skin of his back. 

The chemical syrup soaked through his bloodstream, lulling his muscles to rest. Mumbo screamed with frustration as he fell to his knees. His attackers surrounded him and laced his hands behind his back with nylon rope. The chord bit into the delicate skin of his wrists. Mumbo grit his teeth and gave a thunderous, gurgling snarl at the surrounding men. The leader stood back, surveying Mumbo with his eyes, before he reached for a com-device that was fixed to his shoulder and depressed the button. It clicked to life and stuttered with static. "We've got 'im. The target has been acquired. Bringing 'im in." He barked into the radio. A mechanical voice called back through the tinny speaker.

"Roger that. We await your arrival with the package."

Mumbo's body shook with rage and chemically induced fatigue. He gave a huffing whimper as his body finally gave out, relenting to the pull of the tranquillisers in his system. With his arms tied behind him, he had nothing to break his fall. Mumbo's face crashed and scraped against the ground as his body was forced to relax. His brows pinched high on his head as he stared panicked at the bunker. Just a few hundred yards below the ground laid his lover. Grian, his pregnant omega, his glorious companion. His friend. His lover. Grian. Grian. Grian. 'I love you.'

Darkness.

* * *

Grian's brow furrowed as his mind cleared from slumber. Something felt strange. He reached across the bed, but his warm fingers slipped off the edge of the mattress. They glided across the cold sheets. His eyes flicked open, and he was greeted with what he had suspected. The bedroom was exactly the same as he'd left it, except it was lacking one crucial ingredient. Grian's eyes flicked across the room, searching for him.

"Mumbo?" He called out. When he received no reply, Grian pulled himself from beneath the covers and stepped around the room, searching for a note, a clue, anything that gave him an answer as to where Mumbo had gone. He sighed in irritation and pinched his brow. Where had his delightful spoon got to? He pushed his fingers through his hair and pushed through their bedroom door. Outside his room, the bunker appeared to be normal. Scar and Doc lounged against the couches. False and Cleo sat at the dining table, awaiting their breakfast, and Jevin's voice could be heard as he nattered to TFC as they set out the plates and cutlery, preparing for their morning meal. Everyone was there, all apart from a specific moustached alpha. Grian sprinted down the steps and stepped towards Scar and Doc. "Guys, have either of you seen Mumbo?"

"Good morning to you too." Scar giggled. Grian grit his teeth to stop himself from snapping at his fellow omega. 

"Seriously, have you guys seen him?" Doc giggled along with Scar before he shook his head.

"Is he in the shower?" He suggested with a shrug. At the reptilian-man's words, Grian glanced towards the staircase that led down to the utility rooms. His brow furrowed as he shook his head.

"No, I doubt it, he had a shower last night." He huffed.

"Was he not with you last night?" At Scar's mention of the night prior, Grian's cheeks flooded with pink. His memories of Mumbo's member between his lips, the soft sounds of mewling moans. He shook the thoughts from his mind. 

"Yeah, and we went to sleep together, but when I woke up, he wasn't there." He muttered, anxiety slowly permeated through his chest. Grian's lungs tightened as his breaths became shorter. 

"Dude, I'm sure it's all fine, why don't you ask TFC? He'd know where he is, he wouldn't let Mumbo go anywhere so close to breakfast." Doc stood beside Grian now, his hand a soothing touch on the other's shoulder. Grian glanced to his friend and nodded in agreement. It was surely fine, surely okay. Although, the others hadn't seen what Grian had saw yesterday. What if those men had got him? What if... Grian's eyes clenched shut, he couldn't let himself worry about it, when he had no evidence to what'd happened to Mumbo. 

He smiled to Doc and Scar, thanking them, before he moved away and stepped towards the older man. "TFC?" He asked. Jevin paused in his talking, as Grian approached them. His eyes flicked across Grian's face and his brow pinched atop his head.

"Hey, dude, are you okay?" He asked, voice soft. Grian glanced to the blue man and shook his head, his eyes falling back to TFC. The bearded man paused in lining the table with knives and forks. His eyes flicked to Grian and widened. 

"Grian? What's wrong?" He asked, his voice soft, eyes narrowed and filled with hazy concern. Grian shook his head. A small whimper slipped from between his lips and he shrugged. 

"Mumbo... He wasn't with me when I woke up, Doc and Scar hasn't seen him, and I'm worrying." TFC nodded at the information before stepping away.

"Mumbo?!" He called, his voice flickered throughout the entire bunker, reaching every wall and shadowed crevice. Grian and the others froze in silence as they listened carefully, waiting to hear any reply. They were met by cold emptiness. TFC's brow furrowed as he glanced up to Grian. "He's not here." He muttered finally. 

Grian's heart clenched. "TFC. Yesterday, when we were swimming, I saw some odd men. I thought they were just hikers. You don't think that..?" His voice trailed off, the thought of Mumbo being one of the snatched, one of the stolen was something that he wasn't prepared to acknowledge. Grian wasn't sure if he could take it. His alpha plucked from his life. The idea of the thing was horrendous, but the reality of it was worse. His chest tightened as his eyes pricked with panicked tears. TFC's brow furrowed at Grian's words.

"How were the men odd?" He asked. Grian's eyes flicked to the man, and he shrugged. 

"I don't know... They were all wearing the same thing. Just black clothes. I couldn't see them in detail because I was so far up in the air." TFC's eyes hollowed, his face fell and darkened. The man heaved a sigh.

"Snatchers." He muttered. Grian's eyes narrowed on the man, his brows tightened on his head as he shook it.

"Snatchers? The same group that took Doc and Scar's bondmates?" TFC nodded at that. 

"Snatchers took Mumbo?" False cried out, her face crumpled with anger. TFC nodded solemnly. A heated quiet fell on the people of the bunker. Grian couldn't take it.

"If snatchers took Mumbo, then we need to go get him back." Grian muttered, his eyes locked on TFC. The older man flicked a sad gaze at Grian and shook his head.

"There's no point, Grian. The snatchers work for PostPopulate, but we can't know where they took him." Grian's chest swelled with rage at TFC's words. His eyes widened with horror.

"What do you mean 'No point'?" He parroted the man's words back at him. Grian shook his head and gave an enraged laugh. "You of all people should know not to lose hope. We have to find him." TFC watched Grian carefully.

"No. We can't. When I lost my daughter, I tried to find her, I searched through the facility, but no matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find her. Grian, there's no point in wasting resources trying to find a ghost." 

Grian's eyes lit with fiery anger. His chest bloomed with rage, his hands shook with the force of it. "How dare you?" He growled. "How could you just lose hope?" He seethed. "What about all of their bondmates did you say the same to them?" Grian gestured to Doc and Scar. TFC's eyes widened with shock at Grian's reaction. The usually placid and quiet omega seemed to have transformed before his very eyes, a pure driving force lit within the smaller man. TFC glanced to the other's before he shook his head.

"Their mates had been snatched before they came here." TFC explained. "Grian, you need to calm down." He reached out a hand to rest on Grian's shoulder, but the blond evaded it. He glared at TFC. 

"How fucking dare you?" He growled, his wings unfolded from behind his back, they spread slowly and powerfully, Grian's eyes began to change, from the pure crystal blue, the faded to white. Grian searched through his feelings, collecting his hurt and pain in the palm of his hand, balling it up, before he flung it from his own heart and into TFC's. The man collapsed back, a scream fell from his lips, as he tumbled and collided with the ground. Although Grian was small, he used every inch of his height to his advantage, as he towered over TFC. His eyes changed back to their usual shade of blue. "I will find Mumbo." Grian muttered finally before his wings pumped against the air and lifted him from the ground. He flew across the bunker and to the room Mumbo and he shared. He pushed through the door and knelt next to Mumbo's suitcase. His hands dug through his lover's belongings until he found it. The burner phone that Iskall had gifted them. He unlocked it and dialled the only saved number in the contacts. 

* * *

Iskall leant against the plush chair of his sitting room, Stress curled into him. Their bellies were full from breakfast and they'd decided to relax before starting the day. "I'm going over to Mumbo's today just to check on Julia and the girls." He muttered to Stress. The brunette woman nodded silently and smiled. 

"Okay, afterwards, are we still going into town?" She asked. Iskall grinned and nodded. He'd promised his girlfriend that they would head into town and pick out some decorations for Stress' ice store. 

"Yeah, that's still --" Iskall was interrupted by the ringing of his phone, it buzzed and chirped from his pocket. The Swede's brow furrowed as he plucked the device from where it rested. He stared at the screen and his eyes widened. He answered it immediately. "Hello?"

"Iskall? I need your help." A panicked sobbing voice called through the tinny speakers of the device. Iskall's brow furrowed with confusion. 

"Grian?" He muttered out. "What's wrong?"

"It's Mumbo. Snatchers have taken him. We need your help!"

"I'm on my way."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? How was it? :D
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, please let me know your thoughts in the comments below and hit the kudos button if you really enjoyed it :D
> 
> I love reading through your comments, honestly, they give me motivation to continue writing :D


	19. Voices, Near and Far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, I'm sorry for not updating yesterday, I hit a bit of a roadblock of writing block >.> But after a bit of alcohol and a good night's sleep, I have churned this out for you. I hope you all like it :D

The soft fabric of the jumper settled against Grian's skin as he slipped into his clothes. After calling Iskall, Grian had sat on the edge of the bed. His eyes fixed to the floor in a shellshocked gaze. His core had been rocked, had been shaken from its standing. How had this happened? Only yesterday, Mumbo and he had spent the day with their friends. Swimming and playing. Grian had fallen asleep in his Alpha's arms and when he'd awoken, his entire reality had shifted. The change seemed so sudden, so achingly out of the blue. Grian gazed longingly at his alpha's suitcase, the last bit of evidence that showed he'd been in the room at all.

Emotionlessly, Grian tugged his arms through the sleeves of his red sweater and gently poked his wings through the holes that Mumbo had cut out for him. He shivered as the material rubbed his feathers the wrong way. Once he'd fixed the item of clothing in place, he brought his wings forward and carefully brushed his feathers back into place, stroking the sinewy muscles that lined the secondary bicep and tricep of the wings, before he pushed himself from the bed. 

As Grian stood firmly on his feet a soft popping fluttered through his stomach, he glanced down at his protruding belly and frowned quizzically; he placed his hand on the spot where he felt the strange pop and then felt another. A small movement that otherwise would have been unnoticeable. His brows furrowed tighter as he pressed down on his belly. The baby kicked once again. At the third movement, Grian knew it was unmistakable. His and Mumbo's baby was kicking, they were wriggling around inside him; they were alive and active. Grian's eyes widened at this realisation. 

The life that he and Mumbo had created together, in a heated moment of passion, was finally showing their mark on the world, finally confirming that they did indeed exist. Grian's eyes softened as he settled back down on the bed. He rubbed his palms gently over the skin of his belly. "You miss him, don't you?" He muttered to the unborn child. "I miss him too." He nodded to himself. "You know, I didn't like him much when we first got thrown together? I thought he would be like the rest of those rich ponces. I thought he'd use me for the things you're far too young to know about and toss me aside when I wasn't much use to him. I was scared. I really was." Grian nodded as he leant back, his eyes connected with his bulbous abdomen, it was as if he could see through the skin, as if he was talking to the baby themself.

"Before I met your daddy, I was from a poor family. We had nothing, we rented the house, my dad had borrowed the car from a group of friends and they all shared it. We got our food from the food bank donations and I never really had the chance to get to know my parents. It was just my sister and me. We were restricted by our money - or lack of it. We were hated for living in the slums and, well, it was awful." Grian sighed, rubbing his hand in circles over where the baby laid inside him. He imagined that the child was listening to him intently, and was encouraged by that thought. He felt the baby punch up, meeting his touch. A small smile spread across his face. "I don't want that life for you. I want you to get a good education, I want you to have better chances at life. I need you to be better than I ever could. Your daddy can give you that." Grian nodded, Mumbo's face alight in his mind's eye. "He is a wonderful man, you know? He would give you everything you could ever want, but he would never take credit for it. He'd try to do his best for you, even if it was hard for him. He would love you, no matter what." Grian grinned, his eyes shining with tears. "I'll tell you what, hmm?" He sat up, pushing himself with his arms until he sat on the edge, his left hand shot back to his belly and rubbed at it soothingly. "I promise you I'll get him back. I promise that no matter what, you will have your daddy, you'll see how good of a man he is. You'll see how much he will love you." Grian chuckled to himself. 

A sharp rapping of knuckles sounded against the wood of the door, Grian glanced towards it, his eyes narrowed and darkened with irritation at being interrupted. He glanced back down to the baby bump and smiled fondly at it before he pushed himself to stand once more and stepped towards the door. He depressed the handle and opened it a crack, peering out to whoever was on the other side. 

Scar stood outside of Grian and Mumbo's room. His brows were pinched with worry at the top of his head, and his mouth was held askew. His eyes were scanning over Grian's face, almost as if he feared the other omega. Grian's brow furrowed as he watched his friend. "What's wrong?" He asked, his voice harsher than he had intended. Scar flinched at the words before he flicked his gaze back, peering over the iron railings and down into the communal area. 

"Umm... Iskall is here. I... I thought you should know." Scar muttered, his eyes flicked up to Grian's fleetingly as he shone a soft smile and nodded slightly before he scurried away, leaving a blank space before Grian. The blond sighed, guilt flooding through his chest. He glanced down to his belly and rubbed against the jumper clad skin.

"And that whole thing there is Papa's fault. I think I will teach you your first lesson. Apologising for when you do a bad thing."

* * *

An ache flashed through Mumbo's body. His eyes widened as he gasped, the sound of it echoed through the dark place. He flicked his gaze across his surroundings and saw nothing but a void of endless black. Billows of smoke rolled in across the floor, like an opaque carpet. His eyes narrowed on it, it was odourless, but prominent all the same. He whimpered as he pushed himself to his feet. 

"You can't let them have me." A crackling cry echoed through the darkness, Mumbo's eyes flicked about him, searching for the owner of the voice. 

"Hello?" He called out, unsteadily stepping forward. "Where am I?" The voice chuckled, dark and deep. It was his own laugh. Mumbo gasped at the realisation and scanned the area avidly, trying to steal a peek at the other. 

"You know where you are, it's where I am, where we are. We are one and the same." The voice spoke, Mumbo's eyes narrowed on a shape that slowly emerged from the edge of the darkness. It slowly grew in size with each one of its steps. The shape slowly came into focus and took on the outline of a man. He squinted, trying to sharpen his gaze on him. As the person - thing? - came into view, Mumbo's mouth fell open with shocked horror. The smoke dissipated, revealing the identity of the creature. 

It wore a tattered black suit, a dirty white shirt and a frayed red tie. Its skin was pale, but covered with some sort of black dust, its eyes were pure purple, the sclera was black, but the irises shone a vibrant violet, its pupils glowed white. Its hair was black as raven and mussed atop its head, two identical horns sprouted from its forehead and curved around above its crown. Flecks of purple were alight in the horns, glowing brightly in the dark-shaded keratin. Between the two spires was a ball of amaranthine shaded fire. Its lilac flames licked at the sharp tips of his bony spikes and a dull roar could be heard as the vibrant inferno sputtered and thrummed with its dangerous light. Atop the creature's lip was a curling dark moustache, slightly mussed and unkempt. "What are you?" Mumbo asked, his eyes wide, his chest fluttered with fear. He stepped back and away from the demonic thing. The man chuckled and nodded. The fire that rested above his head and between his horns quivered with his movements.

"I am you. A side of you, anyway. I am the part of you that was once only a fraction, a taste of what you could become, but with time I have blossomed and with the help of science I have been thrusted into existence. I am the thing you keep hidden, I am the source of your power. I am Mumbo Jumbo. The alpha." Mumbo lost his breath at those words. He glanced down to himself instinctively, and found that his own suit was tattered, worn and torn. His own shirt was dirty and mussed, his own tie was frayed. He glanced back up to the thing and found that he wasn't merely looking at another being, but a mirror. A pane of reflective glass. He lifted his hand, and the thing did the same, in sync and as one. He reached forward and his palm met the cool, smooth surface of the mirror. He gasped and recoiled, bringing his hand back to safety, pressing it close to his chest. "What do you want?" Mumbo asked. The reflection shrugged and chuckled, the laughter so similar to Mumbo's but a shade darker, crueller. 

"I want the same as you, like I said. We cannot let these people take what is ours, what is natural. We cannot let them see what we can become. I am the raw power that flows through your veins, the purity and undiluted version of what your body developed. I am you." As the thing spoke, a small goat stepped from behind him and into Mumbo's view. It too was his reflection. Mumbo glanced down at it, confusion alight in his mind. "This is the animal in which they bonded your DNA, he is the same as you, one with you. He is--" The reflection stuttered on its words as a light broke through the darkness, as the shadows and putrid void was slashed and lit with something unnatural. Mumbo's brow clenched as he moaned, whimpering with pain. He squirmed in place and flicked his eyes open. Leaving the tranquilliser fuelled dream space.

He was in a room. A white room. The walls, floor and ceiling were all painted the same alabaster. The fluorescence of the artificial light thrummed with electrical power and shone brightly through the room. Mumbo's eyes flicked about himself and landed on a man who stood in the corner. He wore a dark shirt and trousers, an apron covered his clothes and blood smeared across its white face. He was tall and broad, obviously muscular. His rugged beard covered his face with dark hair that matched the strands atop his head. His blue eyes shone brightly in the light, his brows were furrowed and cruel. "Ah, you're awake." A tinny voice blared through the room, echoing around it. 

Mumbo's eyes flicked away from the ominous man, in the corner, as he glanced about himself. "Welcome, Mister Jumbo." The voice spoke again. Mumbo's jaw clenched as he struggled in his confines, only to be met with something holding him in place. He peered up above him and found that his hands were held tightly over his head, with a glance down his body, he could see that his ankles were held in place similarly. And to Mumbo's distinct horror, he saw that he was completely naked. Mumbo's eyes widened as he struggled more fervently.

The voice chuckled. "Now, I think that's rather futile, don't you?" It muttered. Mumbo's eyes hardened at the sound of those words as he growled low in his throat, the snarl rumbled through his body. In his anger, his horns began to glow a soft purple. "That's what we wanted to see, thank you." The voice commended. Mumbo's eyes flicked up to the space above his head, and it clicked. The vision in his mind. It was a warning. A cautionary meeting between the strange thing that lurked in the shadows of his anger. It had greeted him in his unconscious and urged him not to let them take it, take the thing that was solely his. His powers. 

"Why am I here?" Mumbo growled out to the man in the corner.

"Don't talk to him, he is merely hired muscle. The answers will come from me. Well, I say answers. I am the one who will be asking the questions." The voice chuckled darkly through the speakers.

"What do you want?" Mumbo asked, his eyes flicking across the ceiling, they locked on a small camera and speaker set that hung down, facing him. 

"Did you know that only 3% of all the PostPopulate trial members showed biological changes, as you have? Out of all those sign-ups, only a small number of you showed uncharted morphological adaptations and to top it all off, only 1% of those who showed those changes began to also present with powers. It's amazing, the anomalies that can occur in such an experiment. But as a scientist, I cannot let those anomalies go uncharted, unexamined. I want you to show me that power of yours again." After a pause, the voice continued, his tone a warning. "But, I can shut your abilities down instantly with a flick of a switch, so don't get any smart ideas." The man spat through the intercom.

"You can't do this. We're human!" Mumbo shouted back, his teeth grit with a bubbling rage, his eyes shone with his anger. The man chuckled, his rolling laughter loud and raucous as it echoed through the speakers.

"No, Mister Jumbo. You are not human any more. And of course, I can do what I like. According to public opinion, your kind are no better than the slum dwellers. Parasites that have wedged themselves in the body of the greater good. We can do whatever we like to you and no one will care. Your financial status means nothing here. You cannot wave a cheque in anyone's face and expect a change in our plans, Mister Jumbo." The man paused, allowing his words to sink in. "I suggest that you give me what I want, then we will let you go, we will allow you the freedom to return to that disgusting slum-dweller that you call your boyfriend. What's his name?" Mumbo heard a distant fragmented sound akin to someone flicking through a pile of papers. "Grian Charleston, is it? Now he would be a very interesting specimen to have. I cannot wait to harvest the fetus that is growing inside him. Imagine the scientific advancements?" He hummed with excited interest. 

The excitement didn't reach Mumbo. His chest tightened and his eyes widened at the sound of his bondmate's name. He let out a low and menacing growl as he struggled against his bonds. His eyes fixed on the other man in the room, narrowing on him. A dangerous smirk flashed across Mumbo's face as his eyes then flicked back up to the camera. "Do your worst." He huffed with an antagonising wink.

"Very well." Was the only warning Mumbo had before the restraints that held Mumbo gave a humming sound as they charged with electrical energy. A harsh crackling echoed around the room as bolts of power cracked through Mumbo's body. They set each nerve ending on fire, alighting his mental cortex. He saw nothing but white as agony shot through him. It was as if each one of his 208 bones snapped and broke. Mumbo screamed, a gurgling, yelping sound. As suddenly as the pain had started, it stopped. The restraints powered down, allowing him a sense of relief. Mumbo laid back against the upright table that he was bound to. He gave a distant whimper before a rolling belly laugh left him. His eyes flicked back up to the camera. 

"Is... That all you got?" Mumbo challenged again between pants. Once he recovered, he flashed a demonic grin at the unidentifiable man and giggled. "You're not getting anything out of me! I cannot wait until I'm let out of here, because I'm coming for you, I'm gonna show you the power that you're craving, I'll give you what you want then, but I can promise that you won't like it." Mumbo taunted, his eyes flickering dangerously. 

"I had hoped you'd say that. Flicking buttons can be so satisfying. Especially when you respond so delightfully. Let's try this again, shall we?" The voice hummed before the restraints powered up once more. Mumbo glared at the cameras, determined and ready for whatever the man had to throw at him. He flashed another toothy grin, one thought alight in his mind. 'Bring it on!'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did no end of research to try and name the muscles that would be on the wings of a human (if winged humans existed) and a secondary bicep and tricep were the only things I could think of.
> 
> Also, I know that keratin isn't a bone, but, I thought that it would be interesting to count them as one. I have decided that although Mumbo's horns are keratin-based, they have blood vessels in them, which provide the basis for the lighting in his horns when he uses his powers. So while the average human has 206 bones in their body, Mumbo had 208 :D (The two extra being his horns)
> 
> I really hope that you enjoyed this chapter, I tried my best with it and to be fair I am so excited for the next one. :D Mumbo seems to be on the brink of discovering something amazing about himself in relativity to his powers and Grian is slowly building himself up as a stable father :D I cannot wait to see all of your reactions to this chapter, which brings me onto my next point:
> 
> If you enjoyed it, then please comment below and if you really liked it absolutely smash that kudos button :D


	20. I'm So Sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys, so this chapter has a whole lotta heavy violence in it. No blood or gore. It had references to rape and bestiality, so please be aware of this when you read it. If you want to avoid that section of the story, then you are safe to read through until the dividing line, the next chapter should be out tomorrow and you won't be missing out on anything :D

Grian's hand rested on his bulbous belly as he descended the stairs. It had only been a few days but yet it felt as if his stomach had doubled in size, since their arrival at the bunker. TFC had told him that the gestation period for an omega was three months. The thought of the average nine months being cut down by two-thirds sent waves of anxiety through Grian. He'd always thought that Mumbo would've been a part of that, that he would have been by his side through the birth. That idea seemed so far from possible with his alpha, being one of the snatched, had been taken away from him, stolen and locked away and they had no idea where PostPopulate had taken him. The chances of Mumbo being by his side during the birth had been hurled into a cloud of doubt. 

Grian stood at the bottom of the stairs, his chest tight and constricting his breath. He couldn't allow himself to think like that, couldn't allow himself to be drawn into the panicked thoughts. He had to stay positive. He had to breathe. Inhale. They would find Mumbo. Exhale. His alpha would be with him during the birth. Inhale. They would find Mumbo. Exhale. 

Grian's eyes flicked open, and he glanced about the communal area. TFC sat hunched on the sofa, Scar, Jevin, Doc and Cleo all sat beside him, while False stood over the older man, her eyes shot daggers at Grian and a pang of guilt fired through his system, settling in the pit of his belly. Stood to the side and away from the group of alphas and omegas was Iskall. His one eye flicked between the group and Grian, a distant expression of confusion lined his face. He furrowed his brow at the blond, silently asking for an explanation. Grian shrugged before skirting passed the Swedish man and beelining towards TFC. 

False hissed a soft snarl at him, her protective shield evidently surrounding TFC. Grian's brows raised on his head as he stopped in his tracks. He glanced between the faces that stared at him. Each of his friends glared with similar expressions of betrayal. "TFC?" Grian muttered, the older man glanced up towards him, a look of fear flashed over his face before he schooled his expression and a cool mask settled in its place. Grian's guilt doubled. He cleared his throat and stared at the floor for a moment before he spoke. "I am so sorry for using my powers against you. I never meant to hurt you." He murmured, peaking through his lashes at the other. TFC watched Grian silently for a moment, his eyes narrowed on the smaller man. 

"You hurt me, yes, but I was being blind, Grian. I couldn't begin to think of the fear and anxiety you must have at the moment. The father of your unborn child has gone missing, and I told you it was impossible to find him. If anything, I should be apologizing." Grian watched the older man, his eyes wide with shock at the returned apology, he glanced over the faces of his friends that surrounded TFC, they all shared the same look. A wide-eyed, astonished expression.

"I don't mean to be that guy, but can we save the making up speeches for later? My best friend has been nabbed by a bunch of insane goons. I know Grian is coming with me, but we'll need more than two on our team. Are any of you coming along to help rescue Mumbo?" Iskall stepped forward, interrupting the apologetic conversation. Each member of the group, and Grian, glanced towards Iskall. Grian nodded at the man's words and moved to step beside him, his eyes flicking to land on his friends. TFC pushed himself up, wincing slightly as his old joints clicked. 

"I'm coming. I know I'm old and decrepit, but if my daughter was here, she would never forgive me if I didn't at least try to help save Mumbo." Grian gave a soft nod with an appreciative smile, before his eyes were drawn to Doc. The reptilian man stood from his place on the sofa and followed TFC to stand beside Grian. 

"I want to come, I might find my bondmate, while we're there." He muttered as he stopped beside Iskall, Scar stood to join them. 

"Me too." He muttered quietly. Grian thanked both Doc and Scar with a little smile before his eyes flicked back to the remaining three people. 

False wrapped a protective arm around her omega, pulling the auburn-haired woman closer to her. "I don't think it's a good idea if we go." She muttered quietly. "Cleo's heat is about to start, and the last thing I want is for her to enter heat while we're in a PostPopulate compound. It's just not safe." She muttered, Cleo nodded shakily, leaning into False. Grian smiled at the couple. 

"I understand." He replied softly before his eyes settled on Jevin. The blue alpha squirmed in his seat, clearly scared of the prospect of leaving the bunker to embark on a mission that would take him to one of PostPopulate's compounds. He glanced back to the couple before he smiled sadly.

"I think it's best if I stay too, I could look after the girls." He muttered and gestured back to False and Cleo. At his words, False let out an intimidating growl. She stepped forward towards him, her eyes narrowed. 

"We don't need your protection, Jev. Be an alpha and admit that you're scared or go with them. Don't use me or Cleo as an excuse for your shame of admitting your fears." She seethed. Jevin's eyes widened at her domineering display and nodded jerkily before bowing his head.

"I... I don't want to go to a PostPopulate compound, I'd rather stay here." He whispered, Grian had to strain his ears to hear him before he glanced towards Iskall.

"Will we be okay with five of us?" He asked, the Swedish man glanced towards him before nodding silently. Grian smiled with a dip of his head before he trained his focus back to Jevin. 

"That's fine then, Jev." He muttered before he turned back to the group of five and gestured towards the main staircase. After a moment of silence, the group slowly ushered themselves away from the remaining three. Scar gave a distant glance to Jevin, his eyes boring into the man. He huffed with disappointment before he turned and began following his friends. 

Once outside the bunker, Doc took his place at the head of the group and directed them over to the mouth of the forest. "All of us, apart from Iskall, have heightened senses. We can follow his trail. Why don't we take it in turns, I'll happily take the first round and then one of you guys can take over from me?" He offered. Grian smiled and nodded in agreement. 

"That sounds like a plan." He muttered, moving to follow the reptilian man. 

"Woah, guys? Aren't we going to take the car?" Iskall asked, his eyes flicking from the two alphas and omega to his car that had been parked close to the metal fence. Doc glanced back to the Swede and shook his head. 

"The fumes will mess up the scent, and besides, if we're all in the car, how could we follow the trail?" He questioned. Iskall gave a forlorn sigh as he nodded, knowing the other was right. Grian smirked at his bondmate's friend and winked to him, nudging his side with his elbow.

"It's fine, when has a little exercise hurt anyone?" Iskall shot a glare to Grian before a smirk curled around his lips.

"You're right." He nodded and moved to follow Doc. "Let's go get Mumbo back."

* * *

Pain flared through Mumbo's body. He let out a throat tearing scream as he writhed on the upright table. His arms and legs were still bound in place with the cuffs. His eyes clenched shut as he writhed through the electrical torment. It came to a buzzing stop once more, and he fell limp in his restraints, his head fell forward and his hair, now drenched with sweat, fell into his eyes. He gave distant wheezing pants as his trembling body struggled to recover.

"Are you ready to comply?" The scientist barked through the intercom system. Mumbo peered up through his fringe and glared at the camera and speaker. He shook his head and grinned. 

"No!" He screamed with what little energy he had left. It was the wrong answer, it seemed, because almost immediately the voice came back through the tinny speaker. Mumbo clenched his jaw and prepared for another wave of electroshock therapy, but it never came. He peeked his eyes open and glanced about the room, his ears pricked and listening for what the voice had to say.

"We move on to phase two." The scientist said. The 'hired muscle' who stood in the corner, his arms crossed over his chest, flicked his head up to the camera and nodded. He stepped forward towards Mumbo's prone naked body. The alpha's eyes widened and he let out a hiss, his struggles reinvigorated as he tried to pull against his bindings. The muscular man chuckled at his futile efforts and tutted to him.

"You will regret your denial." He grumbled at Mumbo as he lifted an arm and stretched to reach something above Mumbo's head. The moustached man clenched his eyes shut and flinched away. He waited - for what he was expecting, he didn't know - his muscles tightened in anticipation for some artistically induced pain. It never came. Instead, there was a soft beep and buzz, his hands and feet were released from their holdings. 

With nothing holding him upright, Mumbo's legs collapsed and folded. He hit the ground with a thud. He whimpered and moaned as he writhed against the floor, trying to find the strength to pull himself up to standing. His eyes flicked up to the man, and he watched as he pulled a small remote from the control panel. "Come, come now little goat, it's time for some fun." He drawled as he depressed a button on the remote. Mumbo's eyes widened and before he could open his mouth to speak, the cuffs that were still around his wrists and ankles gave a metallic hum before they latched together. His arms were bound separately from his legs, but he was rendered useless all the same. The man took a handful of Mumbo's raven hair before he began walking forward, dragging Mumbo out of the white room. 

Mumbo writhed against the floor, distantly thankful that he had sweat so much in the last round of torment, as it allowed for his body to slip against the tiles without burning his skin with the friction. The corridor in which they trudged through seemed so similar to that of the room he'd been in. The floor, ceiling and walls were all painted with the same plain white; it was so devoid of colour that it hurt Mumbo's eyes. He wriggled against the ground, trying to ease himself along so the tug on his hair was less painful, but his legs could barely keep up with the man's pace. He hissed as he was finally thrown through a door. 

Gravel bit into Mumbo's bare flesh as he was tossed out into a yard-like area. The space was open and furnished much like a farm, except there were several hatches and holes with grates that lead somewhere deep down under the facility. The sun burned brightly above him. Mumbo struggled and wriggled against the ground as he slowly pushed himself to his feet, hissing as the dirt ground into his already sore skin. 

"What have you got planned now? Make me eat grass like livestock? Make me gallop on all fours?" He asked as he gave a distant chuckle, still taunting the scientist. He couldn't spot any cameras or speakers, but he knew that his captor was too much of a voyeur to have not had them installed. He knew that his voice was heard, knew that he was being watched. 

"Mister Jumbo, have you ever heard about the Chilean 'Modern' Torture methods?" He drawled. Mumbo glanced about him, furiously trying to guess what the man had planned based on his surroundings. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to garner any clues. He sighed and shook his head, his eyes fell on a structure that stood in the centre of the yard. It seemed to be metal and stood to the height of Mumbo's hips.

"I heard something about them. A human rights scandal under Pinochet's rule, right?" Mumbo answered. The scientist chuckled, and Mumbo could vividly imagine the man nodding in response to his reply. 

"Very good, you're a well-educated man. I suppose that you're familiar with a few of his methods. I honestly admire Pinochet, I think he was a genius. But that could be held up for debate, I suppose. In our 'modern' world, it would be seen as a violation of human rights." The man burst into a round of giggling before he sobered once more. "I suppose that isn't any of our concern, seeing as you're not human." At that last word, a loud alarm sounded and three men stormed from the door that Mumbo was thrown through. 

They beelined towards the alpha and grasped him firmly, dragging him to a strange metal structure that stood in the centre of the yard. Mumbo yelled out as he was pulled, his skin was pinched between their fingers as they roughly manoeuvred him and tossed him about as if he were nothing but a doll. The alpha swore and cursed as he wriggled against the men, ordering them to cease in their actions. They tugged him across the yard and forced him to bend over the metal structure, pulling straps around his neck and waist. Rendering Mumbo immobile. The men were silent, their expressions were almost sympathetic as they stared at him. "You are now dismissed." The scientist called out to his lackeys. Each of them gave a silent nod before they marched from beside Mumbo and out of the paddock, locking the door behind them, closing Mumbo in the pen.

A second alarm sounded and the grates in the floor opened up, several dogs clambered out of the pits. From their stature and appearance, Mumbo could only assume that they were some breed of German Shepard. Their tales wagged and their tongues lolled from their snouts, their eyes fixed on Mumbo. "I think you can guess the nature of your situation from this scene, Mister Jumbo? But if not, let me explain. These dogs have been specifically trained for this purpose, and that is to make these next few hours as hard on you as possible. They will assault you in any way that they see fit, the only way for you to stop them is the use of your powers. Otherwise, they will continue until I decide that your torture is finished." Mumbo's eyes widened in understanding as he fought against his bindings. The structure was bolted to the floor and the straps held him firmly, fixed into place and out of his reach. Mumbo's arms and legs flailed as he struggled to escape. 

"Begin!" The word sounded out like a battle cry and the effect was almost instant. The dogs' bodies sprung into action, their eyes fixed on their target as they surrounded him. Mumbo cried out as he felt their sharp teeth puncturing his skin, ripping into his flesh. He struggled harder to escape, but to no avail. 

"I won't do it! I won't use my powers!" He screamed out, growling at the dogs in warning, but his voice fell on deaf ears. 

A low rumbling snarl, followed by a snort sounded out as the largest of all the dogs moved behind Mumbo, out of his sight. Mumbo's head span with panic. His eyes clenched shut and tears pricked, stinging as they slowly drizzled down his cheeks. He shook his head, screaming the word 'no' on repeat. The dogs continued on with their actions, not paying him any attention. He felt two strong and rough paws grasp around his middle as the dog mounted him and he let out a wail, struggling against his bonds and crying out once again. His mind flickered with his imagination as he tried to refrain from picturing what the dog was preparing to do. He felt it then. The rough nudge of the dog's member against his puckered hole. Mumbo writhed, screamed, shouted and called for it to stop. But alas, there was no response. The dog continued, pushing itself deep inside him. The pain rushed through him. It was as if he was being torn in half. He'd had no preparation, no lubrication and he most definitely did not want this. Mumbo screamed, calling out for help, but none came. 

The dog began to piston, thrusting its hips at an animalistic speed. Mumbo cried out, whimpering and sobbing, his throat raw from all his yelling. His head drooped and his body whited out. He was numb. It was as if he'd retreated within himself, encased in his mind. There was one thought that remained prominent, one thing that was the centre of his focus. Grian. His baby. His family. At least they were safe, at least Grian was far away from here and surrounded with alphas and walls, enveloped with protection. At least he could never see him like this. His eyes clenched, holding onto the thoughts of his lover, his omega, the father to his baby. Grian. Grian. Grian.

Please don't come here, Grian.

Please stay away.

Please keep yourself safe.

I love you.

I don't want this.

I'm so sorry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woof... 
> 
> >.> I know, bad joke...
> 
> But still, that was heavy and hard to write. I enjoyed writing it, but only in a sick and sad sense >.>
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed it, if you did, please let me know your thoughts in the comments and if you really enjoyed it please leave kudos :D 
> 
> Thank you!!


	21. Legs & Arms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm so sorry for not updating in the last two days. >.> I've been busy and by the time I've had the time to write, I've been too exhausted to produce anything worthwhile. I hope you all enjoy it :D
> 
> Also, a massive trigger warning. This chapter contains more torture and gore. Please read at your own risk and mind the tags.

The sun shone down on the yard, lighting each inch. Mumbo screamed, writhing against his bonds. He'd lost count of the hours he'd been trapped in the breeding stand. Each one of the dogs had taken their turn in using him and he was certain that his hole had been torn at some point. Heat trickled down the inside of his thigh and he was unsure as to whether it was blood or something else.

  
The cushion of the restraints pushed uncomfortably against his chest, his bound hands curled his body around the stand and forced the unforgiving metal to dig painfully into his flesh. His skin felt raw. He was sure that the pillars of the frame had cut into his skin, leaving behind wounds in their wake. 

  
"Mister Jumbo, can you hear me?" The ambient voice chimed through the intercom, there was a strange sense of accomplishment encased within the tones. Mumbo's teeth grit tightly as his jaw clenched, his brows knit together with the threads of his frustration. It was as if the voice had injected a sense of revitalised strength in his muscles. He felt his shoulders bunch, his stomach hardened and he held himself as high as he could in the stand, pushing against the straps. A deep rumbling growl was the only reply he was willing to give. Apparently, it was enough, for the scientist began speaking once more. The crackling tin of his tones echoed around the yard and resonated through Mumbo's core, strumming his temper as if his words were dainty fingers plucking at harp strings. "You didn't use your powers during that activity, one may presume that you enjoyed it." Mumbo could hear the smirk as it curled around the scientist's words. Bile bubbled and fluttered through his belly, it slowly rose up and into his throat. Images and flashes of memories flicked through Mumbo's mind. The dogs. Their panting, their whimpering and growling. They were seared into his brain, a thought that he could never forget. He didn't enjoy it. He'd hated it. Mumbo's face crumpled as tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, stinging. A whimper slowly drew from his lips, shocking himself, he clamped his mouth shut. Trapping any stray sounds that threatened to trickle from within him. 

"Mister Jumbo. I must confess, that even if you didn't enjoy it, I certainly did, and equally I will enjoy what I have in store for you next. Remember, all of this will end, but only if you use your powers." The scientist spoke calmly. Following the end of his sentence, the door to the yard flashed open and one man came stepping out. Mumbo could hear the distant footfalls as they echoed through the paddock. His eyes clenched shut. He had to remain strong, had to refrain from using his powers. He couldn't allow the scientist to win. He had to be the alpha that Grian needed him to be. That his baby needed him to be.

A crack sounded behind him. A whip whistled through the air before snapping. At the noise, Mumbo's entire body flinched. His muscles contracted and his skin rattled with sensations. Fear trickled through his nerves and Mumbo clenched his eyes shut. He knew what was coming, but no matter how much he tried to steady himself and soothe his aching and fried synapse, he couldn't have prepared for the feel of the leather biting into his skin.

With each crack of the rawhide, Mumbo tensed. First came the high-pitched howl as it flew through the air, swiftly followed with the flaming lick of the whip as it slapped against his skin, leaving an aching burning strip of red flashing across his pale bottom. For the first three strokes, Mumbo kept his resolve, held his tongue. Although, with each consecutive kiss from that agonising strip of pure magma, Mumbo felt his lips crack open as his eyes streamed with heated tears. Mumbo yelled as his already battered skin split under the force of the thing. He screamed out in agony. Begs and howls poured from his mouth. Building in his chest and then exploding from him like a mushroom cloud. Mumbo couldn't handle it. His head fell and hung low between his shoulders as he sobbed. His body trembled with each wracking moan. 

Darkness coiled around his mind, whispering sweet nothings into his ear. As Mumbo descended and fell into it, the scorching agony that lit across his now torn and tattered skin faded. The blood that seeped from his wounds became nothing but an afterthought, as he was slowly coaxed into the new state of existence. 

"Oh darling, what have they done to you?" Grian's voice was an ointment to his pain, a soothing cream rubbed into his sore flesh. Mumbo's eyes flicked down to those pure crystal irises and he could barely keep the relieved sob from spilling from his throat. He reached forward and pulled his pregnant omega close to his chest, burying his face in those silky blond curls. 

"What are you doing here? It's not safe." He muttered to him. Grian pulled back, and pressed a soft palm to the side of Mumbo's face. His thumb fanned out and stroked across his cheekbone. Grian grinned at him.

"I came back to you, my love. I came here to save you. I wanted to take you away." He told him. Mumbo's eyes widened at that. Fear pooled in his belly. What if they caught him? What if they saw Grian there with him? How could he forgive himself if Grian was snatched by the scientist? Mumbo shook his head, eyes wide and wild with panic. 

"No, no. You shouldn't have. They'll get you." He muttered but was met with a soothing hum as Grian shushed him. The blond flashed a smile at Mumbo and reached up to press a gentle kiss to his cheek. 

"No one can get us here. We're safe here." Grian gestured to the world around him. It was then that Mumbo realised that they were no longer in the yard, darkness surrounded them and an ambient light with no source shone down on the two. Mumbo let out a hitching cry and shook his head, clinging to his lover. His heart wilted, his chest darkened with a muted shock of agonised longing. 

"This isn't real, is it?" He whimpered.

Before Grian could answer a tickly prickle fluttered across Mumbo's skin. The euphoric safety of his mind shattered as he was thrusted back into reality. His eyes widened as he felt multiple little legs glitter across his skin. Their gentle touches were sickening. Mumbo craned his neck around to peer at what the guards had placed on him, only to find an army of arachnids had taken residence on his back and shoulders. Each of their eight spindly legs danced across him, their black, brown and white abdomens bobbed with each of their movements. Mumbo's eyes widened as they fluttered over him, crawling effortlessly atop his prone body. Mumbo's eyes narrowed on the creatures, his pupils constricted to pinpricks as a wrecked wail spilt forth from between his lips. He wriggled about on the structure, attempting to knock the things off him, but his efforts returned fruitlessly. Mumbo was bound so tightly that he could barely flinch away from their skittering eight legs. 

From behind Mumbo, there was a chorus of distant laughter. The guards who stood about him watched his struggles and mocked him. One of them pointed to the spiders and winked to their colleagues. "I wonder what he'd do if I do this." He mused as he plucked a small handful of the spiders and coaxed them inside him. Mumbo's wrecked and bleeding hole was pried open with rough fingers as the sparse group of false widows were deposited within him. Their legs scrambled against his silky walls, and Mumbo screamed out in pain. He had to get them off, had to save himself, had to get them out. But he couldn't use his powers.

From deep inside him, Mumbo felt a pair of fangs penetrate the tender skin of his rectum. The venom that the creature injected into him began working almost instantaneously. Flooding his system with the toxic juices. Mumbo's mind snapped. His eyes slipped closed and as the light was shut out from his mind, Mumbo let out a yell. Darkness floated close to his naked form, swizzling and twirling about him. It thrummed with distant energy as it cycled close to his body. Flashes of purple lit segments of the billowing black. When Mumbo's eyes opened, the dark force fanned out, instantly killing each of the spiders that roamed across and inside his body. The force of his powers flashed out and snatched at each of the guards' hearts, tugging the organ's free from the confines of their chest. It tore through their rib cages and plucked the beating thing from beside their lungs and left their chests wide open, like flowers in bloom. Mumbo's eyes snapped up to where he'd heard the scientist's voice from before and the darkness came slithering back to him, snapping at the structure that held him in place. Mumbo pushed himself up from his prone position and yelled as he tore the cuffs from his wrists. Although, just as the strength had manifested within him, it began to flicker and fade, dimming as the venom spread through his body. Mumbo staggered to the side before he lost his balance and toppled over. His skin scraped against the gravel as he landed, and he was thrusted into a world of unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this one. If you liked it, please leave a comment, and if you really liked it please leave kudos :D I'll catch you all in the next one.


	22. Reflections & Visions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so I hope you enjoy this one. It's a lot smoother and gentler than the other chapters. I thought you all deserved a break along with Mumbo.
> 
> There are some references to the rape, and some hints at what happened, but nothing is in a great amount of detail. But please proceed with caution.

Watchful trees stood tall over the makeshift campsite. Their spanning branches swayed in the evening breeze, leaves bathed with the golden light of the setting sun. Grian remained perched on a log that had been placed by the campfire. While the others fixed up their tents and sleeping areas, Grian had built and been managing the fire. It crackled and hissed beside him, popping enthusiastically as he fed it with dried branches and logs. His soft white wings wrapped around him as he rested his hand against the bump of his belly. 

“I know little one.” He hummed as the baby wriggled inside him, kicking their little foot against the wall of his womb. He glanced down and smiled to his unborn child. “I suppose I could tell you about your daddy some more.” He mused before he poked the flames with a long stick, jostling the fuel that fed the inferno. “He owned a gloriously large mansion, out in the middle of nowhere.” Grian hummed. 

* * *

Darkness surrounded Mumbo. It was cold and dank. His body stung and throbbed from the events of the last day. The shadows called to him, beckoned him forth and smothered him with their gentle touch.

“He is a kind man. So sweet and humble. He cared for me and everyone around him, ensuring that they had what they needed to live a happy life.”

The mirror stood tall before him, although the reflection that shone back was not what he had expected. A well dressed, healthy version of himself stared back. His horns were gone, and in their stead was smooth and unmarred skin. Yards of pale flesh covered with a bespoke black suit, its materials so soft and refined, so comfortable and gentle against him. His hair was slicked back, neat. His face was almost youthful, a smile sprinkled its happiness across his lips. 

“The gardens at this large house were massive. There was a swimming pool, a hedge maze and my favourite place - the stables.”

The reflection was the man that Mumbo had once been, the person whom he was prior to PostPopulate, before he had been damaged. Mumbo glanced down at his own body, encased in that dark place of his mind. He was naked. Battered and bruised. His skin was slashed with the lasting kisses of the whip, spider bites littered his skin and a dull ache settled in his most private place. A part of his body that was reserved only for himself and Grian. A part that had been taken from him, forced to be shared with animals. A dignity that would never return to him. 

“The stables stood tall and quaint at the far reaches of the gardens and I would often venture out of the house to visit the horses that were there.”

Mumbo felt his eyes prick with tears of violation. His body had been used, taken without his consent and ruined. He was ruined. Broken. A mess. Mumbo glanced back to the mirror. What he saw had changed. No longer was his young and youthful self smiling back to him, but a broken man stood hunched in the glass. His body fractured and trembling. Vibrations of the memories that clung to his mind tormented him. Images of what had happened. Sights that he had seen. Feelings that he’d felt. No. No. Please. I don’t want this. 

“Your father rode a white mare. Her coat was so beautifully pure, just like him. He was brilliant on that horse. The animal responded to him as if they were one and the same. He is beautiful.”

Grian’s voice permeated through that dank place, echoing through the rippling black. Mumbo’s eyed flicked about himself, searching for their origin. Hoping to glimpse his bondmate. A part of Mumbo was glad that he hadn’t been spotted, was relieved that Grian couldn’t see him like this. Damaged and ruined. 

“Oh, Mumbo was amazing. Breathtaking. I knew I loved him then. Knew that he was made specifically for me. I hope that one day you get to feel that little one. It was magnificent.”

A silhouette stood at the far corner of Mumbo’s mind. His eyes centred on it, traced the outline. He knew who it was before he’d had the chance to spot the details of their face. A part of Mumbo refused to move, but something pulled him. His legs bent and stepped forward, pulling him into the vicinity of the shadow. As he slowly edged nearer to the thing, he could make out the features of the person. The softly tanned skin, crystal blue eyes and shock of blond curls. Grian.

* * *

Grian’s eyes widened. A gasp hitched in his throat as the baby kicked inside him. “Guys!” Grian shouted, not able to move his rigid muscles. Within moments, his friends crowded round him, huddling close, their expressions marred with concern. 

“What’s wrong, Grian?” Iskall asked. Grian flicked his gaze to the Swede, his brows drawn close together. He cleared his parched throat.

“I know where Mumbo is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you thought of this chapter, even if you thought it was pretty crap ^.^ Any and all feedback is welcome and appreciated. 
> 
> However, if you really liked it please hit that kudos button :D
> 
> The next chapter is on its way :D


	23. Search and Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!! Here's the chapter that you've all been waiting for :D I hope you all enjoy it :D I certainly did while writing it :D There isn't much violence in this chapter, just some references to what Mumbo has already gone through.

The air was stagnant, unmoving and dead. Grian stood beside the campfire. It had faded to embers, quietly popping and hissing as it was gradually starved of its supply of fuel. Grian ignored it. His eyes were fixed on his friends, each of them seemed to move so jovially, as if he hadn't just seen the most horrific vision of his life. Mumbo was hurt. He was crying out for help and their friends were taking their time in preparing to save him. Anger flared in the pit of Grian's stomach as he snarled at the group. It coiled white-hot in his gut, flickering like flames, licking at his heart, burning it with resentment.

"Guys. We have to go now!" Grian complained, eyes flicking from one face to the next. He couldn't understand how they didn't sense the urgency. How they could move to slow, and sluggish. As if their friend wasn't in danger, as if Grian's bondmate wasn't held captive by PostPopulate, as if the father to his child hadn't come to him in a vision, sobbing and on the brink of existence. Iskall dropped the bundled tent before settling his hands on his hips. He raised an almost chellenging brow at Grian. 

"We're working as fast as we can, dude." He replied. Iskall held Grian's gaze for a moment before his face softened. He closed the distance between them, his arm twitched with the instinctual need to rest his hand on the other's shoulder. Iskall restrained himself, afraid that he'd overstep an invisible boundary. "I know you want him back, I want him back too. But we can only move so fast." Grian's eyes narrowed on Iskall's, his brows pinched together in a scowl, he stepped away, lip curled in a sneer. 

"We haven't got the time to wait. Mumbo needs us." Grian snapped as he spread his wings. The force in which he'd opened the feathered appendages almost knocked Iskall back. Grian smirked in satisfaction as he slowly beat against the air and flung himself above the treeline, ignoring the distant call from his friend, who was stuck on the ground. Grian's nostrils flared as he scented the area, trying to detect any trace of Mumbo's sweet smell. There. Pine needles, tea, moustache oil and something distinctly Mumbo. His wings worked double-time as he pushed himself forward, picking up speed with each beat.

The forest seemed to span for miles, but at the far reaches of Grian's vision, he saw the distinct divide. The crowd of trees came to an abrupt end, while a concrete building stood lonely and solemn. Grian's eyes slipped closed as he tentatively searched through his mind for any trace that hinted to Mumbo, anything that would give away more details of his location. As he tentatively reached through his thoughts, a serene shadow swallowed his consciousness, plunging him into a deep chasm of putrid black. Echoes of tortured screams resonated through the void, dusty bubbles floated passed Grian, gently brushing themselves across his face. As they popped they released a wretched sound, it was Mumbo, his wracking sobs, yells of agony, the gurgling chokes of blood. Grian didn't care if the camp needed packing up, if the others were working as fast as they could, then they were severely lacking, not understanding the urgency of Mumbo's situation. For every moment that they wasted, was another moment that Mumbo spent in such a torturous place. He flipped in the air and twisted to fly back the way he'd come, beating his wings against the wind, Grian returned to the camp and descended to the ground. Fallen leaves and forgotten twigs fluttered about him, brown confetti that alerted the others to his return. 

TFC headed the group, along with Iskall, while Doc and Scar stood behind them. Their faces seemed rugged, weathered, exhausted. In a relaxed scenario, Grian would have suggested that they all took time to rest. But today was not like any other, they had one purpose, one goal. They had to get Mumbo back. No matter what. 

"Are you guys ready?" He asked, his voice cool and icy. TFC flinched at his chilling tones before he gave a sharp nod, his eyes flicking sideways to Iskall, who's face creased into a grimace. "Then let's go." He huffed before he flew forward and soared past them. Being the only one who could fly, Grian lead the group of friends forward, occasionally flapping above the trees and checking their direction before swooping back down to bark orders as to which route they should take. 

Tree after tree flashed by him, leaves were blown from their holdings on branches and dirt was kicked up into a plume of muck, as Grian continued to fly. His powerful wings beating the deafening tune of a distant war drum. Grian continued pushing forward, racing at break neck speeds, his wings fluttered and flicked until his eyes locked on the clearing, a break in the wall of trees. His eyes narrowed on it as he closed in, finally emerging from the forest. He settled himself on the ground, chest heaving with pants as his exhausted body screamed for oxygen. He couldn't rest, though, he had to save Mumbo.

Grian stood still, his brow furrowed as he surveyed the compound before him, slowly his friends closed the distance between them as they all came to stand beside him, their eyes falling on the structure ahead of them. Tall concrete walls stood high and mighty, looming over the group, mocking them, bating them with their strength. Grian rose to the challenge. "I can lift you all over the wall. But I can only do one at a time." He muttered before he moved to grab Iskall, not pausing to ask for their opinions. 

"No." Scar interrupted, voice hard and commanding. Grian froze in his movements, his eyes flicking to the other omega. Scar's hand was outstretched silently begging for Grian's attention. "I'll go first. I can sneak in undetected. No one will see me coming. Then when I give a signal, you can bring the others over." He explained. Grian watched his friend for a moment, his brow furrowed with anxiety. Scar gave a sad smile.

"I've got a bondmate in there too. I promise you can trust me." He assured the blond. Grian gave a thoughtful once over of the other before he nodded curtly. In his panic over his recent vision of Mumbo, he'd forgotten that he wasn't the only one with such high stakes riding on this mission. He stepped away from Iskall and flashed an apologetic quirk of his lips, his brow twitched with remorse as guilt pooled in his chest. If there was anyone who could relate to his unabating fear, it was Scar and Doc. Their mates were also locked away, snatched from beside them. 

A proud smile curled around Scar's lips before a shielding blanket fell atop him, obscuring him from view. One moment he was in their sights and the next, he had disappeared. The only clue to his whereabouts was the soft shuffling footsteps and disruption of the fallen leaves that carpeted the ground. Grian's eyes focused on those small movements, following Scar's steps with his eyes until even that clue had been snatched from his sight, leaving the group in a cloud of uncertainty.

Within moments, a soft hissing could be heard from the other side of the wall. Grian nodded at that, it was Scar's signal. He glanced to the remaining three. "Who's first?" He asked. Doc stepped forward. 

"I will, I'm the strongest of us all, if something goes down while you're transporting these two, then I can step in." He offered. Grian gave a quiet hum before he wrapped his hands under Doc's arms and beat his wings hard against the air, taking both himself and Doc over the wall. He dropped the other and doubled back, repeating the same action two more times, carrying Iskall and then TFC across and over the boundary.

Once Grian had deposited TFC safely to the ground, Grian landed beside him and glanced about his surroundings. They seemed to be stood in what appeared to be a paddock, sand and gravel covered the floor, while metal walls spanned the outer edge, fencing them and containing them within the yard. Several grates were dotted across the ground, while a strange metal frame stood at the centre, broken leather straps hung from the arms and legs of the thing, while a litany of dark specs dusted the surrounding area. That's when Grian saw it. Twin crimson stains had dyed the sand, pools of blood stood guard either side of the frame. Grian's heart stuttered in his chest. No. God, please don't say that blood was Mumbo's. His eyes flicked across the paddock before he sprinted towards the two bloody puddles, ignoring the worried hisses and warnings of his friends. Grian was deaf. The only thought that filled his mind was the image of Mumbo, hunched and crying, sobbing with pain, as blood trickled from his open wounds. 

With one sniff, he could tell that Mumbo had been in this area not too long ago, but that blood was not his. Grian cast his eyes back to his friends and shook his head, his chest filled with cool, calm relief before he stepped back to the group. "It's not him. But Mumbo was here." He muttered before glancing over his shoulder. Almost blending perfectly with the wall was a metal door. "There." He pointed to it. "I think that's our way in," Grian whispered, his voice a soft rattle. Doc glanced at the group as he smirked and pushed passed them.

"I think this one's for me." He hummed in pride, chuckling quietly. Grian watched as the reptilian man sauntered towards the door, rolling his shoulders. He gave a quick wink to the group before his fist shot out, like a power hammer and busted the door off its hinges. The metal clanged and moaned as it bent and snapped, clattering to the ground. Grian hissed with frustration as his fingers pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Well, if they didn't know we were here before, they certainly do now." He sighed as he stepped towards Doc, the group in tow. Doc scowled down at the small omega and shrugged with defiance. 

"I got it open, didn't I?" He challenged. Scar smiled affectionately at the other and reached out to pat his shoulder. 

"I'm impressed, Doc." He soothed, stroking the other's ego. Doc preened under the praise before wiggling his brows to Grian. The blond huffed at the sight and shook his head. Now was not the time for jokes. They still had to find Mumbo.

* * *

Inside the compound, white walls and floors lined the corridors, devoid of any detail apart from the occasional door with a window cut out. The group marched through, their shoulders hunched and ears pricked for any sound or clue that they had been spotted. However, it was quiet. So quiet in fact, Grian's stomach fluttered with anxiety, his chest tightened and swelled. He was sure that they should have seen someone patrolling the halls, a guard or a scientist? Anyone? But it had only been them, traipsing through the hallways. Grian's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. It was strange, almost as if PostPopulate had known they were coming. 

With each window they passed, they peered inside, only to be greeted with a small hunched figure and a barrage of technical devices, all aimed at the ill-fated captive. They'd come for Mumbo, though. As much as they wanted to save these other alphas and omegas, they couldn't risk not finding Mumbo.

"Guys!" Doc hissed. The urgency of his voice sent shocks through Grian's body and he stopped. His joints locked as he halted, stock still in the hallway, a few feet ahead of the group. He glanced back to his friends, his eyes flicking between their faces before they settled on where Doc was pointing. Grian stepped forward and peered into the room that had caught the other's attention, only to find two men huddled close together, cuddling. The smaller of the two was snuggled close to the taller's chest. Long white rabbit ears poked from his scalp and flopped tight to his face, his eyes clenched shut. The other man, who's arms were wrapped around the Leporidae-human hybrid, was tall and slender, a dark beard hung from his cheeks and chin, his eyes were gently held closed while he comforted the smaller man.

"Who are they?" Grian asked, his voice a hiss, not recognising either of the prisoners' faces.

"One of them is my mate." Doc growled, his hand balled into a fist. Grian barely had time to back away from the angered alpha before Doc had lunged forward, connecting his knuckles with the metal door, pounding it open with one strong punch. It swung helplessly against its hinges, squeaking and whining as it oscillated. The rabbit-man flinched at the sudden sound before his eyes cracked open. 

"DOC!" He screamed, a smile spreading across his face. The reptilian man sobbed with pure joy and opened his arms, beckoning his mate to come to him. Grian could barely hide the flutter of happiness that floated through his chest as he grinned fondly at the pair. 

"Cub?" Scar's voice cut passed Grian, as he pushed through the group and sprinted into the room. The taller man, Scar's alpha, stood from his hunched position and pulled Scar into a bone-crushing hug, holding him there for a moment, before his eyes jumped from his omega and to the group who'd accompanied him. 

"Who're you?" He asked, eyes jumping from TFC to Iskall and then settled on Grian. The blond bristled at the harsh glare, his brow furrowing, he puffed his chest out and tried to stand taller. Cub's voice was gravelled and thick, his American accent obvious as he spoke. Grian surveyed the man, his eyes scanning across his features until they rested on his hands. Long, thick talons stretched from each digit. 

"I'm Grian." He muttered, introducing himself, voice catching on his words as his eyes remained locked on those razor-sharp claws. "We came to get my alpha. Mumbo." 

"Tall fellow? Skinny? Moustache?" The rabbit omega interrupted, firing quick descriptions of Mumbo. Grian's eyes flicked to him, and he nodded. "Cub and I saw him, late last night." He glanced to the alpha in question and flinched, grimacing at the memory. "He... He seemed to be in a bad state." He muttered, eyes flicking to Doc, who continued to smile down to him. "We watched him through the window, he was being dragged by some of the guards.

Mumbo had been seen recently. Hope swooped in Grian's heart, blooming and jumping through his chest, pumping through his veins. He surged forward, stepping close to the omega, in his enthusiasm, Grian seemed almost aggressive as he lunged towards Doc and his mate. The alpha glared at Grian and snarled in warning, his arms tightened around his partner, eyes flashing dangerously. Grian halted in his tracks and his hands stretched out placatingly, he flashed an apologetic smile until Doc gave a dull huff and let his shoulders relax. Satisfied that he was no longer in danger of angering Doc, Grian fixed his eyes on the omega. "Did you see where they took him?" Doc's omega nodded and stepped out of the room, pointing down the hall and to a distant door. It seemed no different to the rest, but for Grian it was the only one that mattered. The blond nodded and took off sprinting, making a bee-line for the door. 

He pressed his body close to the metal, his eyes peering through the window. The room was dark, shaded with a soft humming light that barely lit the inside. A large surgical table occupied the majority of the room, and spread across the metal was Mumbo. His naked body on display, thousands of cuts and scrapes marred his flesh along with several bites and marks that Grian couldn't identify from the distance that he was at. "Doc!" Grian hissed out. Tugging his eyes from his alpha, he glanced down the hallway and to the reptilian man, beckoning his friend forward. "Can you get me in there?" He asked, brows pinched with worry. Doc gave a muted nod and slammed his fist against the centre of the door, just as he'd done with the others. The force was enough to thrust it open. The metal clanged as it gave way and smashed against the wall, reverberating around the room. 

"Mumbo!" Grian all but whimpered as he staggered across the threshold, stepping close to the prone body. Besides the obvious injuries that Mumbo had sustained, he laid flat against the table, his eyes closed. He appeared almost peaceful. Grian reached out to the other, his hand gently grazed over Mumbo's tortured skin. At his touch, Mumbo's body instinctively trembled, almost as if he was scared that the feel of anyone else was a warning of more pain. Grian's brows pinched with agony as he watched his damaged lover whimper through his unconsciousness, even in such a state of being, Mumbo was still begging for the torture to end. 

"So you're the pregnant omega." A cold snake-like voice drawled from across the room. Grian's eyes narrowed on the figure as the scientist stepped forward. "I have been so looking forward to meeting y--" Before he could finish his sentence, Grian lashed out. His eyes flashed dangerously as he leant over Mumbo's motionless form, his hand outstretched, fingers tensed. He shot wave after wave of pain at the man, filling his brain with the images he'd garnered from the link he'd shared with Mumbo. The agony that he'd felt, the horror. The scientist cried out, collapsing to the floor, twitching against the artificial emotional torment. Grian grinned down at the man as he stepped forward, still keeping the waves of suffering flowing into the Scientist's mind.

"Yes. I am the pregnant omega." He confirmed. "I am also Mumbo's bondmate. You hurt him, so I will kill you." Grian spoke calmly, almost soothingly to the man as he doubled the amount of torture that he was flashing through the other's mind. The scientist writhed on the floor, screaming, tears flowed down his cheeks as he sobbed. Begging for it to stop.

"Grian!" Iskall's voice interrupted Grian's attack. The blond glanced to the Swede. "What are you doing?!" Iskall yelled, his eyes wide and brows pinched. Grian scoffed at his concern.

"This is the bastard that's been hurting Mumbo." He hissed and tripled the force that he was depositing in the Scientist's brain, receiving a pained cry for his efforts. Iskall reached out a hand and snatched Grian's wrist from the air, ending the power stream that Grian had started. Grian glared at Iskall and tugged himself out of the other's hold. "Why did you stop me?" He growled. Iskall shook his head, eyes flicking between Mumbo and the scientist.

"We can't lower ourselves to his level. Mumbo would never want that." He hissed as he moved to haul Mumbo's prone body from the table and threw him over his shoulder. The scientist wheezed and reached out a hand at Iskall. 

"Thank you, my boy." He huffed, panting. "These animals..." Iskall growled at the man as he spoke, his fist flew through the air and connected against the man's jaw with a sickening crunch. He reached down and plucked a folder of paper that the scientist had dropped and stood to his full height, adjusting Mumbo on his shoulder before glancing to Grian. 

The blond's eyes were wide, his mouth agape. "I thought you said..." Grian murmured. Iskall flashed him a grin and shrugged.

"I never said that he didn't deserve it. Besides, how dare he compare me to him." He chuckled before shaking the folder in his hand. "We have to go." Grian nodded and cast a glance to the unconscious man, sprawled across the floor. He knelt down and whispered close to his ear.

"This is not the last time I'll be seeing you. But when we meet again. Iskall won't be there to stop me from killing you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading this far :D I hope you continue to enjoy what I have in store for you. 
> 
> If you liked this story, please leave a comment, I love to read through your feedback, even if it's to tell me that you hated it ^.^ 
> 
> Also, if you really liked it, please leave kudos :D


	24. He Might Not...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Here is a new chapter for you all to feast your eyes on! I have really been enjoying writing this story and I cannot state how happy I am that you all are enjoying it just as much! 
> 
> While I've got your attention, however, I would like to quickly bring to your attention that I've started a new collab with SKblind. She's a fantastic author and has written phenomenal works such a: Unseen Beauty of The Ungrateful and The A Team. 
> 
> I feel so lucky to be able to write a chapter with her and it would mean a lot to me if you could check it out ^.^ If you like this story, then I'm almost certain that you'll love what we have in store for you there :D
> 
> But, without further ado. I hope you enjoy this chapter. 
> 
> Stay safe guys and happy reading!

Bleeping machines were the heartbeat that thrummed through the room, echoing across the walls and searing a mechanical melody through Grian’s mind. His arms pressed against the metal bars that lined the bed, his brows drawn together, he stared at Mumbo in an overwhelming concern. 

When they had brought him in, TFC and Iskall had gone through the motions of cleaning and dressing his wounds before making him as comfortable as possible in the makeshift hospital bed. They’d transformed the room that Mumbo and Grian had shared and filled it with the equipment that had been once stored down in the utility room. Equipment that Grian hadn’t a clue they’d had. 

A heart rate monitor gently thrummed alongside Mumbo’s own beating chest. His lungs were forcibly filled with the breathing tube that had been inserted into his throat, stretching his mouth open, leaving nothing but chapped lips in its wake. A tube filtered up Mumbo’s nose, delivering much-needed food and water into his system, flooding him with everything that was essential for life. 

Grian could barely contain his anxiety as he had watched his friends lovingly care for his alpha. Their hands were so gentle as they washed him and bathed him. Cuts and bruises were amongst the smaller of their worries as they had littered Mumbo’s pale skin, most of them so deep that they were sure to leave jagged scars along the beautiful supple flesh that had once been there. Grian’s nostrils had flared with rage, he wanted to leave the room, track down that scientist and rip him limb from limb, slowly eviscerate him, skin him alive, and gently rub petrol into his ruined flesh, listen to his screams of pain. 

“Grian.” Iskall’s voice was soft as it interrupted the omega’s rage-fueled glare. Grian’s eyes fluttered as he was dragged back to reality. He cleared his throat and pulled away from his place, leant against the bed. 

“Iskall.” Grian replied, his voice hard. He hadn’t forgiven the other for his interruption of Grian’s revenge. How he’d shown that bastard mercy when he hadn’t done the same for Mumbo. How could Grian look at the other without rage flooding the cavity of his chest? 

The Swede gave a soft huff as he stepped further into the room, pulling up a chair on the opposite side of Mumbo’s prone body. Grian glared at him as he did so, watching each of his careful movements with a sneer pulled against his lips. 

“What do you want, Iskall?” Grian huffed, his eyes boring into the other as he shuffled against his seat, ruffling the lab notes he'd stolen from PostPopulate, the day that they’d saved Mumbo. The other man winced at Grian’s harsh tones. His shoulders drooped as his head dipped in guilt. 

“Grian. What happened to Mumbo…”

“Save it.” 

Iskall’s eyes flicked up to the blazing expression that coloured Grian’s face. He shook his head, his words bubbling from his throat before he had the chance to contain them. “Mate. You can’t be mad at me forever. I’m sorry for interrupting your show of vengeance, but I couldn’t let you do that to yourself. If you’d killed that guy, you wouldn’t have been able to live with yourself.” 

Grian gave a derisive snort as he glanced away, fury alight in his eyes. “You clearly don’t know me well then.” He spat the snide retort before aiming his glare back to the other. “He deserved way more than what I would've done to him. What he did to Mumbo --” A choked sob constricted against his throat, holding back his words. Grian’s hand shot to his mouth, as his breathing became ragged, his eyes watering. 

Iskall watched the other in silence, his brows pinched together in concern. He glanced between the medical files and his friend. 

“I actually came to speak to you about that.” He muttered, interrupting Grian’s almost sobbing. The blond’s eyes narrowed on him, a silent request for him to continue. Iskall’s jaw tightened, and he gave a shaking sigh.

“I was reading through his notes. I thought you might want to know what happened to him, what they did to him.” 

Silence spanned between the two as Grian considered his offer. He gave a nod. “Yes. I want to know.”

“He was tortured for his powers. They wanted him to use them to defend himself, but he refused repeatedly.” Iskall’s eyes scanned the words that were printed on the paper. “They electrocuted him and assaulted him with dogs.”

Grian’s breath hitched at that, his eyes wide with fear. “Assaulted him? You don’t mean…?” He couldn’t finish that sentence, couldn’t bring himself to say those words. Please god, please don’t say they did that. Did such an unthinkable thing to my…

“Yes. They… They did that.” Iskall confirmed, his expression darkening with his own rage. “They then flogged him and introduced spider venom to his system. I don’t think you need me to explain how they did that.” Iskall muttered.

A choked, whimpering sob broke free from Grian’s chest. “I-Is he okay now though?” He asked. Although he’d been present through the cleaning of his lover and the settling of him in his current position, he hadn’t been involved with any of his medical treatment. How could he? He hadn’t a clue about medicine, let alone whatever complex needs that Mumbo required.

“We were worried about the spider venom. But they used false widows. It’s not dangerous for us, but at the volume that Mumbo was exposed to, that was what put him in a coma. We’re keeping him like this to allow his body to heal.” Iskall explained. “But Grian. Please remember that there is a chance he won’t…”

“Don’t say that.” Grian snapped, his hand jerking forward and intertwining with Mumbo’s own fingers. “He’ll wake up. It may take time, but he will.” Grian’s eyes flicked to Mumbo, his hand reaching forward to comb the dark strands of hair from his lover’s eyes. “He has to wake up. He’s going to be a father.”

Iskall watched the scene, his lip drawn between his teeth with worry and concern for his two friends. He hoped that Grian was right, for both their sakes.

“What else is it?” Grian asked, his voice suddenly hard and unmoving, eyes a blazing glare once more, he stared at the other. Iskall’s eyes widened with shock at the sudden flip of tone and expression. Grian rolled his eyes.

“Come on, Iskall. You’re not telling me you came here just to tell me how they hurt him?” 

Iskall swallowed his biting come back. It would’ve been unfair of him to shout or give a scathing retort. Grian wasn’t acting in his right mind. His lover had been hurt, taken from him and tortured. Of course, he was upset. It made sense that Grian was acting out. He shrugged. 

“I don’t know how much of his past you know.” He replied, eyes flicking up to meet Grian’s. That same angry expression remained unchanged.

“Enough to be getting on with, what is it, Iskall?”

“They… Well, then PostPopulate took Mumbo, they needed leverage against him, in case the tortures didn’t work. They couldn’t get you because you were with us the entire time. Instead…” Iskall’s throat tightened around the name. He couldn’t bring himself to speak it, the thought of Grian damning him further. It was his job, after all, the one thing Mumbo had asked of him, the one request, his last request. 

“They have Julia.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof...
> 
> Yep...
> 
> That happened. 
> 
> Anyway, if you all enjoyed this chapter, please let me know your thoughts in the comments and give kudos :D
> 
> Also, another reminder of what I said above. I honestly think you'll all really enjoy what SK and I are writing there :D


	25. Tunnels of Shadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! I hope you're well and if you're here, I can't thank you enough. I have taken a long break from this story, possibly the longest break I've ever taken from a fic... But what a lot of people don't necessarily realise is that I need to be in a certain mindset to write this story, and it's difficult to remain in it for too long... 
> 
> But never the less, I will finish this story, it may just take a little time :D 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this new chapter anyway, and thank you all for returning, it's readers like you guys that make all of this worth it :D

A gentle cool light shone through the window, the ethereal glow splintered as it collided with the blades of the blinds and fragmented to each corner of the pale room.

Although it remained heated and warm, Grian could feel the icy chill of Mumbo’s unconscious form from deep within his slumber.

His eyes twitched slightly as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his protruding belly hung from below his crimson shirt and over his charcoal jeans. 

A haze of dreamscape littered through his mind, but the fragments of his sleepy imaginings were almost deafened by the stinging of his aching muscles. 

“Grian.” The husky, whispered voice hummed out quietly and shattered through that haze of comfort that surrounded the small blond. “Grian.” His name was accompanied by a small nudge to his shoulder.

The shadows that encompassed his shattered, sleep-deprived mind shook and vibrated out of existence as Grian slowly clawed his way back to reality. 

His brow furrowed against the shrill light, the brightness of it sent an aching shock of pain through his skull and Grian shifted slightly, twisting from where he was curled until he could see the owner of the voice that had disturbed him from his restlessness.

The thing that greeted him though was nothing but a blurred mess and for a moment Grian was certain that it was a scientist, a nurse from the facility that had ran the Post-Populate programme. 

His throat tightened as a strange fear clenched at his chest. His hands gripped the armrests as he heaved himself upright, his wings flexed and covered the baby bump that was all too visible.

His brows furrowed as he glanced over to the still unconscious Mumbo before his teeth were bared in a snarl as he refocused his hazy glare back on the intruder.

“Wh-What do you want? Why are you her--” 

“Hey, hey, no, Grian relax, Grian it’s me, it’s okay.” As the man spoke, Grian’s vision cleared, the white haze that he had once presumed was a lab coat was nothing more than a long distended beard and the hulking mass of a man was nothing more than TFC himself. 

“T? Wha? I…” Grian’s wings flopped to the side as he settled back into place, he reached around to his twinging muscles and tried to massage the kinks that had formed as he’d braced himself for the oncoming attack, the attack that was never real in the first place. 

“I’m sorry, I thought…” He paused for a moment as he glanced over to his sleeping mate. “I… I didn’t even smell you properly… I… I don’t know what that was…” The blond’s voice broke as he spoke.

TFC’s face cracked with a smile as he shrugged away the omega’s protective instincts. “Don’t worry, I would’ve reacted like that to me too, hell I do every morning in the mirror.” 

Grian giggled at the joke as he scrubbed his palm over his face. “What did you want, T?” At the question, the large man’s shoulders huddled close to his body, his head ducked, and for a moment, Grian saw a tiny, scared creature in the place of the friend who’d shown more courage than an army of enraged alphas. 

“I just thought, I mean… You’re in here and I know you don’t want to leave him, but the baby. Grian, I was worried that maybe -- Grian?” TFC’s words were cut short as the blond lurched forwards, his shoulders bunching and his wings flapping. 

His snowy white brows rose high on his head as he lunged towards the smaller man, his hand outstretched to support the heavily pregnant omega. “Grian? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know!” Grian screeched as his wings wrapped around his slighter form like a cocoon of feathers. “I - GAH!”

What started as a dull ache suddenly ratcheted into agony as white-hot pain hummed and fizzled at the base of Grian’s spine before shimmying across his pelvis and up to his stomach, it was as if his insides were tearing themselves inside out. “I --”

“Oh god, Gri--” Grian glanced up to his friend, but as soon as his eyes focused on the man beside him, he wished he were blind. The man’s skin had turned a pure white and his hair seemed to stand on end as a state of panic settled over the large man. “Grian, oh my god.” TFC whimpered as he stepped away from the smaller man. “Help!” He screamed out the door. “Grian’s in labour!”

_ I’m in what? _

“He’s in labour!” TFC’s voice echoed through the blond’s head like a siren call of doom, and the blond was almost certain that he’d pass out from the aching agony that trembled through his core as another wave of contractions shrivelled through him. 

“T-T…” He whimpered out. 

Instantly, the man was beside him, eyes wide and brows high on his head. “What’s wrong, Gri?” He husked out.

“M-Mumbo… Someone needs to be here for Mumbo.” 

“Don’t worry Grian. He won’t be alone, I promise, but first, we need-- Oh christ… We need to get you out of here. You’re giving birth… Soon…”

As TFC spoke, Grian’s vision narrowed and darkened as a shadow encompassed the perimeter of his sight, his consciousness felt as though it was as thin as a veil, a lacy thing that barely had any mass behind it.

But while he faded away to nothing, there was only one thing that echoed through his thoughts. 

_ I need to keep Mumbo safe, I need to be here for Mumbo. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, although this chapter wasn't too long, I hope you all liked it anyway and big things are afoot for Grian, Mumbo and the gang! 
> 
> I'd just like to take the time to give some updates on my other works, I so wish that there was a news feed that we could use on AO3 so that we could give quick updates on stories and the progress of them... 
> 
> But anyway, my Titanic story is going to be receiving an update very soon, both collabs (Space Between Us and Spirals of Want and Desire) are also in the process of being updated.
> 
> I was also thinking of adding a couple of songfics after this chapter to help make the wait seem a little shorter for you all, but I have recently had to get a job so my time isn't as free as it once was and finding time to write is becoming more and more difficult, however, I still enjoy it and I will be writing still, it just won't be an everyday thing like it used to be. 
> 
> There will be a wait time of a few days up to a week on some of my stories, but I will still be posting, but where I used to update every single day, it will have to become every single week and if we're lucky, multiple times a week.
> 
> I hope you guys are okay with this slight change to my schedule and I look forward to writing more things for you all :D
> 
> But as always, please stay safe and look after yourselves.
> 
> If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving kudos and a comment to let me know your thoughts :D


	26. The Dawn of New Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all :D I have an update :D 
> 
> I mean, that much is obvious, right? It's why you're all here, I presume...
> 
> Buut, this update has come earlier than the last one did! I mean this has been a matter of days, maybe even just over a week. I mean, that's so much nicer than waiting a few months. 
> 
> You're all lucky, because I was just walking up the stairs to my room, with the intent on having a nap, when I was struck by inspiration. 
> 
> Weird... I know >.>
> 
> But anyway, this one does have descriptions of childbirth, but there aren't any triggers in this chapter, as far as I am aware :D 
> 
> But as always, I hope you enjoy :D

“Breathe!” 

“Push!”

“Breathe!”

“Oh my God, Grian! Grian!”

* * *

Like a symphony of panicked professionalism, the voices surrounded Grian as if a blanket had been shrugged over his shoulders. The tones of worry and mass horror that were exuded from TFC, Scar, Bdubs and Cleo. 

Their words were mangled together like a knotted headphone wire, each string of sounds collided with the next and Grian could hardly focus on one or another as his body twitched and convulsed as a stretching sensation of pure agony tore through a space between his legs.

“He’s fading, you need to distract him, keep him occupied!” TFC’s aged and dusty voice echoed through the room.

“Hey, Gri? Grian? Focus on me, open your eyes.”

The command was simple, and on any other day or during any other time of stress, Grian would have been able to follow such a basic request, but while he begged for his eyelids to flicker open, they did just that.

Like a fluttering of a camera’s shutter, the light blinded him for moments at a time as scenes played out before him. 

Darkness surrounded the edges of his vision and several silhouettes crowded around his prone form, large masses of feathers sprung out on either side and flapped with each wave of contractions. 

Pointed furry ears danced atop Scar’s head as he reached out and clung onto Grian’s hand, while the rest of his body was slumped over and restraining his left wing. 

The shadow that stood to Grian’s right held back his other wing as he too grabbed a hold of Grian’s fingers and squeezed, his American accent was nowhere to be heard among the scrabbling tones as he watched the blond omega. BDubs’ rabbit ears flopped back and skated down the nape of his neck as a shrill fear trembled through his frame. 

“I can see it!” 

Cerulean irises flashed open once more as they darted to the V that had been formed by Grian’s legs. 

Cleo’s eyes widened as she reached forward, her grey and matted skin was cold against his own as her arm brushed against his thigh, although the pain that throbbed deep within the blond had already overridden his senses, he could hardly bring himself to react to the stark temperature change. 

“It’s… It’s…”

* * *

“What are you doing?”

The voice echoed through the endless void of darkness that swamped through his mind. “You need to wake up, we need to wake up.” It hissed quietly, its body vibrated with the need to step forward but while it tried to inch towards him, an invisible barrier held it back. 

It’s purple eyes danced around the glassy shield before finally, they settled on him, although something felt wrong. That stare hadn’t settled on him, but rather it pierced through his skin and tore through him as if he too was translucent.

“I… I can’t… I…” 

“Be the alpha that you are, harness that power they gave you. G-” 

The words were cut short as the thing faded to black and in its place, a familiar face appeared. Soft tanned skin rippled over a slight frame as crimson blood trickled down his inner thighs, his hair was matted with sweat and stuck to his head as if glued by the salty liquid. 

“I need you, baby.” It spoke softly, barely above a whisper. 

His heart clenched at the sound of that voice and something so deep and intense tugged at his heart, pulling him forwards. “I…”

“Shhh. No, don’t struggle.” The blond hummed as his eyes flickered open, a flash of cyan lit through the void and burned brighter than a thousand stars. “Just come to me.”

A vibration of power rippled through his joints and where he once felt tied to a board, he was now free, free to move, free to escape. 

His jaw clenched as a stream of pure white light stung at his vision, a hiss tugged itself from between his lips as his hand shielded his face from the brightness that surrounded him.

He glanced around the room that held him and he wasn’t certain if he was still trapped at the PostPopulate facility or if he was held somewhere else. If he were honest with himself, he didn’t care. 

The alpha’s lips moved before he’d had the chance to control them himself and a word slithered from deep within his chest, a word that had strung itself so intently to his heart. Mumbo’s voice croaked with each letter as he growled.

“Grian.”

* * *

“It’s a boy!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We made it! 
> 
> So, for anyone who's wondering, Grian is an omega, along with Bdubs, Scar and Cleo. Male omegas can get pregnant and give birth. The way they give birth is this:
> 
> \- The anatomy had changed from a regular male to an omega male.  
> \- There are two theories on how male omegas give birth, and that is:  
> \- They either have a vaginal orifice between the penis and the anus.  
> \- Or they have a vaginal hole that is above the prostate and the baby will come out of the anus. It is this theory that I am using for my story :D Please feel free to research this on the web, there are some really interesting diagrams of male omega anatomy.  
> \- It's my story bro, and I want Grian to give birth, so he is gonna give birth :P
> 
> But yeah, if anyone has any questions, please let me know :D 
> 
> If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving kudos and a comment to let me know what you thought :D


	27. And Once Again, He Returned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, so here is the new chapter, sorry it took a little while to be posted >.>
> 
> So, as you've all probably noticed, I am trying to finish all my WIP's before engaging with my newest story, this one is the longest of them all and I am determined to get it finished. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this new chapter.
> 
> By the way, have any of you noticed that the fandom has slowly become very quiet? At least I feel that the Grumbo fandom has... I hope I'm wrong, but all over Tumblr, I haven't seen any new Grumbo or a lot of Hermitcraft content, if anyone has any good blog suggestions for me to follow, please let me know :D
> 
> Anyway, without further ado, please stay safe and happy reading.

A sour whiteness lit the space that surrounded the room, it leaked it’s sticky presence into the corners and slowly slithered across the walls and ceiling, covering Mumbo’s vision in the bright oversensitivity. 

Smells lit a wave of sensations through his nose as several scents shimmered through his mind like a sal valatile, although it did not wake him from unconsciousness, rather it embedded him deeper in the deep sense of fear that overtook his reality. 

But hidden within that overpowering wave of scents, of sights and feelings, he smelled it, felt it, saw it. A sweet honeysuckle, warm witch hazel and then something that was unique, something so pure and familiar. 

As he sucked in that unadulterated aroma he could see it, like a picture, it was painted in his mind's eye. A soft red jumper, bought by a sister, filled with love and care, soft blond hair that was so fluffy and silky, beating wings that were so strong they left hurricanes in their wake. 

_Grian_.

_Grian_. 

_Grian_.

The alpha that tugged the strings of his muscles chanted in a growling tone that echoed through his mind, the name hummed and thrummed through his cortex as the person was paired with the label. 

_Omega_.

_Omega_.

_Omage_.

Mumbo’s legs shook as he pushed himself to his feet, like gelatin, they trembled under his weight and he reached out to the bed frame. A shock of cool metal bit against his palm as he gripped at it, holding his body still.

Although there was a fragment in his mind that warned him, begged him not to move, prayed that he would rest more. He couldn’t. The drive to find the man he loved burned with a dark fire and at once he was reminded of his torment in that strange place, the yard.

Those men, the ones who’d hurt him, the ones who’d abducted him. The dark force that lit through his veins, the same power that licked at the skin of the Mumbo that visited him in his mind. It burned with a power, a need. 

He knew what he had to do, knew who he had to get to.

Mumbo inched forward a step and it was as if the ground had turned to water. His feet had nothing solid to hold him upon as he sunk down to the floor, the cool tiles licked at his legs as he crumpled down in a heap. 

The alpha within him growled with the ferocity, with a shame that pounded through him. Mumbo’s eyes clenched shut as a stray tear fell pitifully down his cheek, cascading across his skin as defeat settled upon him, sinking into his bones.

“I’m not weak. I’m not…” He sobbed quietly to himself as he trembled, hunched over on all fours.

_“Then get up.”_ The voice in his mind commanded.

“I-I can’t.”

A shimmer of pain, of blood, a cry of agony. Grian’s scream echoed through his mind. It was as if that one sound had overridden his body’s capabilities as the chanting began anew.

_Omega_.

_Omega_.

_Omega_.

A thumping course of strength lit a light through him as he pushed himself to his feet. It was as if he was no longer fueled on human strength, whatever was powering him, whatever was coursing through his veins, it wasn’t natural, wasn’t human in the slightest. 

Mumbo wanted to fight it, wanted to keep control of his own mind, his body, but as the thing that overtook him continued to spread across his skin, he knew. Both he and it wanted the same thing, Grian. 

He let his eyes slip closed as the thing took over, as the alpha force took a hold of his muscles and commanded his body to move. He felt his mouth open as a deafening roar echoed through his chest, alerting all alphas around to stay back as he went in search of his mate.

He had to get to him, had to get to Grian and nothing was about to stand in his way.

* * *

As tears welled up in his vision, the light fragmented across the room as if it were passing through a prism, the white glow of ethereal energy dispersed into a litany of rainbow as he stared up to the ceiling.

A deep thrumming pain lit a fire of agony through his body, it hummed from the private area between his legs and spread as an ache to his core. Grian’s muscles gently spasmed with exhaustion as he slowly sunk down into the cushioned bed below him.

His head reclined against the pillow as the voices of his friends echoed around him. He wanted to be present, to listen to their words, to see his baby. But he couldn’t. The reality of Mumbo not being there to see his child, well, it was almost too much for the blond to process. 

How could he enjoy the spirit of a new life when the co-creator of the child wasn’t around to experience the emphatic joy that came with such an achievement? They were parents, fathers, but the plural implied there were two people involved in such a thing. But yet, if Grian were to stare in a mirror, he’d only see a singular man. Himself.

Grian’s wings trembled with the weight of his distraught and lack of energy as they slowly wrapped snugly around his body, distantly he was aware of someone cleaning his skin from the blood and gore that had leaked from him. His child was somewhere in the room, and while his omega instincts begged for him to embrace the little creature, he couldn’t bring himself to do so, he couldn’t open his eyes. 

“Grian?”

The voice pierced through the veil of deep depression that surrounded the blond, he could hear it, the sound, the intonations, the tone. But he couldn’t piece together the consonants and vowels, he understood that they were trying to take a hold of his attention, that they were calling for him, but he was incapable of comprehending, of listening.

“Grian.” 

This time the tone was harsher, it left almost no room for argument or ignorance. Grian strained his ears to hear what was being said, but yet he was too late. So washed away in that dark void as he was, he could hardly comprehend a thing.

A hand grasped at his shoulder and nudged him. He opened his eyes to see a man staring down at him, peering at him with a seriousness that eluded to ergency. His eyes narrowed on the other and it was then that the picture began to bring some form of focus.

The hazy white smattering of hair, the fluffy beard, the lines that hung in the crevices of the man’s face, the familiarity held in the man’s gaze. Grian forced himself to sit up and take in the picture before him.

TFC.

“Grian. I need you to listen to me.” The words came out so matter of factly, so blunt and devoid of real emotion. He heard them this time, knew what was being said. He nodded, for there was no feasible way that he’d be able to get his vocal chords to activate.

“Your son needs you. You need to be here for him. An omega needs to bond with their child, you need to be here.” 

Grian’s lips parted and a croaked reply echoed out of the dry maw that was his mouth. His jaw clacked shut as he cleared his throat and tried again. “I-I’m here.” It was a mess of sounds, barely comprehensible, even to himself, but he’d spoken, and judging by the expression displayed on the older man’s face, it was enough.

“I need you to sit up then.” TFC told him, using his hands, he gently pushed against Grian’s shoulders, guiding him to a seated position. 

Grian’s body screamed in complaint, his muscles weren’t meant to move like this, not so soon after such an onslaught as giving birth. But… He hadn’t a choice, had he? The blond grit his teeth as he grunted and hissed through the pain until the older man gave a nod of satisfaction. “Very good. I’m going to hand him to you.” 

The blond gave a shaking nod before his eyes flicked to a space beyond the older man. It was filled with one thing. A bundle of white cotton and pale creamy skin. A baby. _His_ baby. Grian’s heart seemed to unfurl like a blooming flower. It was so sudden, so intense that it overwhelmed all his other senses.

He was no longer floating, no longer a stagnant creature awaiting his mate. He had a purpose now. As the baby’s eyes opened and connected with his own, a shock of blue irises hit him and it was clear then. He had to hold his child.

Grian’s arms moved without his command as he reached out and took a hold of the infant, the child laid so small and delicate in the crook of his arms as he cradled him close to his chest. 

“Hello.” Grian’s voice came out in a slight whisper as he spoke to the youngling. “I bet you’re just as tired as I am.”

Although the baby obviously didn’t understand his words, the sound of Grian’s voice seemed to be one that he knew as the child’s eyes locked on him as he silently reached out with grasping fingers. 

“GRIAN!”

Like a shock of lightning plummeting to the earth, the voice that echoed through the small room seemed to snatch at the people within in a shock of surprise turned terror as every head swung around to face the door. 

Grian glanced up, instinctively his wings flung themselves around himself and his baby, a protective blanket of feathers and muscles. His face crumpled as a snarl rumbled from deep within his throat, his eyes narrowed on the figure and for a moment he didn’t recognise who it was. But then he did.

The man was tall and slender, his hair was a matted mess and his moustache was moreso. His eyes were a shock of pure black as a raven light flickered from them, his body was covered in a thin cloth that hung from his shoulders and the horns that extended from the top of his head curled in a bony structure while a midnight flame flickered between the spikes. 

“GRIAN!” The man hissed out, blinded by something, something that Grian couldn’t see, but he knew, somehow he knew how to help.

“Mumbo?” His voice trembled as he spoke out the name, “Mumbo, I’m here.” He whimpered, barely above a whisper as with his free hand he reached out. The opaque eyes flicked to him and locked onto him with a force that was almost too much.

“TFC, we have to restrain him, his powers they--”

“No.” TFC’s voice hissed out as he interrupted the frightened omegas behind him, his eyes fixed to Scar. “Keep them calm, this alpha is here for one thing and if we get in his way, he will kill us all.” 

“GRIAN!” 

That was when Grian realised what seemed so wrong about Mumbo’s voice. Where he usually sounded so gentle and calm, this time he was screaming, he almost seemed panicked and desperate, although it wasn’t just his voice there, it was as if a thousand other voices were all screaming in chorus with each other, all saying one word in unison.

“I’m here.” He replied, voice shaking although he tried to remain as calm as possible. 

The man in the door, the man who used to be Mumbo Jumbo, Grian’s sweet alpha, his adoringly gentle man, his…

A soft gurgle interrupted the scene as the baby reached out and through the gap in Grian’s wings, a tiny little hand appeared and those dark shadowy eyes locked onto it. 

Everyone in the room seemed to glance between the child and Mumbo, so conflicted in what they should do, should they protect the child from the man-turned-monster, or should they stay back and allow the enraged alpha to seek out his mate. 

Before any of them could decide on what to do, Grian shuffled off the bed on shaking legs and slowly stumbled towards the alpha. “Mumbo, look, he’s ours.” 

The blond slowly disentangled himself from the child and proffered him to the man, allowing the alpha to see him, to smell him, to hear him. “He’s our baby.” Grian hummed out. 

The dark shadowy lights that had taken a hold of Mumbo’s orbs slowly dimmed as Mumbo’s eyes returned to viridescent, the coursing dark flames extinguished themselves from between his horns and at once he was back. 

Mumbo’s frame began to shake, to tremble as an expression of shock and horror appeared in the lines of his face. “Grian?” He hissed out, his voice was as singular as ever and it was the same soft sound that was so indicative of Mumbo.

“Yes, my love?” Grian hummed out as he cradled the baby once more and reached out to rest his palm against the cheek of his mate. 

But just as skin touched skin, it was like a switch had been flicked, the tall alpha collapsed to the floor in a heap of groans and whimpers as his frailty from before returned. 

“Grian, please step aside, we need to take Mumbo back to his room.”

Grian glanced up to the man who’d spoken, TFC. The expression of determination was back. Grian’s eyes narrowed on him as he stood straighter and held his baby closer to his chest. “Then I’m coming too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are, another cliff hanger for another day :D
> 
> I hope you all liked this one, I cannot really express how much I enjoyed this chapter, I think I may have overdone it with the descriptiveness, but either way, I hope you like it :D
> 
> Please, if you enjoyed, consider leaving kudos or a comment to let me know your thoughts :D


End file.
